وَشادِنٍ نَبَّهْتُهُ وَالكَرى

وَشادِنٍ نَبَّهْتُهُ وَالكَرى

يُميلُهُ كَالغُصُنِ المُنْعَطِفْ

يُميلُهُ كَالغُصُنِ المُنْعَطِفْ

And a fawn I awakened, while slumber

I warned him while he was turning away,

made him sway like a bending branch.

Like a bending branch, he came walking unsteadily,

فَجاءَ يَمْشِي ثَمِلاً خَطْوُهُ

فَجاءَ يَمْشِي ثَمِلاً خَطْوُهُ

وَهْوَ بِجِلْبابِ الدُّجَى مُلْتَحِفْ

وَهْوَ بِجِلْبابِ الدُّجَى مُلْتَحِفْ

So he came walking with drunken steps,

Wrapped in the robe of darkness, his steps laden.

while he was wrapped in the cloak of darkness.

The full moon of dusk races the rising sun,

بَدْرُ الدُّجَى يَسْعَى بِشَمْسِ الضُّحى

بَدْرُ الدُّجَى يَسْعَى بِشَمْسِ الضُّحى

وَأَدْمُعُ الغَيْمِ عَلَينا تَكِفْ

وَأَدْمُعُ الغَيْمِ عَلَينا تَكِفْ

The full moon of night walks bearing the midmorning sun,

And the tears of the rain pour down on us.

while the clouds' tears drip upon us.

His eyelids grow heavy from his drunkenness,

وَجَفْنُهُ يَثْقُلُ مِنْ سُكْرِهِ

وَجَفْنُهُ يَثْقُلُ مِنْ سُكْرِهِ

وَكَفُّهُ بِالكَأْسِ نَحوي تَخِفّْ

وَكَفُّهُ بِالكَأْسِ نَحوي تَخِفّْ

His eyelid grows heavy from his drunkenness,

And his palm waves the cup towards me playfully.

yet his hand moves lightly toward me with the cup.

I spend the night while the stars are his necklace,

فَبِتُّ وَالنَّجْمُ وَهَى عِقْدُهُ

فَبِتُّ وَالنَّجْمُ وَهَى عِقْدُهُ

يَفْسُقُ طَرْفي وَضَميري يَعِفّْ

يَفْسُقُ طَرْفي وَضَميري يَعِفّْ

So I spent the night, as the stars' necklace loosened,

Tempting my eyes and teasing my conscience.

my gaze sinning, my conscience remaining chaste,

He brought me roses from his cheek,

وَالوَرْدَ مِنْ وَجْنَتِهِ أَجْتَني

وَالوَرْدَ مِنْ وَجْنَتِهِ أَجْتَني

وَالرّاحَ مِنْ رِيقَتِهِ أَرْتَشِفْ

وَالرّاحَ مِنْ رِيقَتِهِ أَرْتَشِفْ

and plucking roses from his cheek,

And I sipped the fragrance from his saliva.

and sipping wine from his saliva.

Then we parted, both of us torn inside,

ثُمَّ افْتَرَقْنا وَكِلانا شَجٍ

ثُمَّ افْتَرَقْنا وَكِلانا شَجٍ

لَهُ فُؤادٌ بِالأَسى يَعْتَرِفْ

لَهُ فُؤادٌ بِالأَسى يَعْتَرِفْ

Then we parted, both of us grieving,

His heart admits to the sorrow,

each with a heart confessing its sorrow,

And my ribs harbor the pain within,

وَأَضْلُعٌ فيها الجَوَى كامِنٌ

وَأَضْلُعٌ فيها الجَوَى كامِنٌ

وَأَدْمُعٌ مِنْها النَّوى تَغْتَرِفْ

وَأَدْمُعٌ مِنْها النَّوى تَغْتَرِفْ

and ribs within which love's anguish lies hidden,

My tears drawing the agony from it.

and tears that separation scoops up.