خَلِيليَّ هَلْ مِنْ حَلملٍ لي تَحيَّةً

خَلِيليَّ هَلْ مِنْ حَلملٍ لي تَحيَّةً

إِلى قَمرٍ نَجْمُ الثُّرَيّا لَهُ قُرْطُ

إِلى قَمرٍ نَجْمُ الثُّرَيّا لَهُ قُرْطُ

My two friends, is there a [bearer?] of my greeting

My beloved, is there any messenger for me,

to a moon whose earring is a star of the Pleiades?

To convey greetings to a moon whose bright star has earrings?

أَتى بَيْنَ حَقْفٍ مَائجٍ وَأَراكَةٍ

أَتى بَيْنَ حَقْفٍ مَائجٍ وَأَراكَةٍ

مُنعَّمةٍ أَوْراقُهَا الشَّعَرُ السَّبْطُ

مُنعَّمةٍ أَوْراقُهَا الشَّعَرُ السَّبْطُ

He came between an undulating sand-dune and an arak tree,

He came between curled and intertwined branches,

soft and delicate, whose leaves are smooth, straight hair.

With luxuriant leaves like long flowing hair.

فَأَبْدَى عَلى كافُورِ خَدٍّ سَوالفاً

فَأَبْدَى عَلى كافُورِ خَدٍّ سَوالفاً

عَلى الجُلَّنارِ الغَضِّ مِنْ مِسْكِها نَقْطُ

عَلى الجُلَّنارِ الغَضِّ مِنْ مِسْكِها نَقْطُ

Then he revealed side-locks upon a camphor-white cheek;

He revealed upon camphor-white cheeks conversations

upon tender pomegranate blossom lay dots of their musk.

From his musk, drops on tender rosebuds.

وَنارُ شِفَاهٍ حَوْلَ جَنَّةِ مَبْسَمٍ

وَنارُ شِفَاهٍ حَوْلَ جَنَّةِ مَبْسَمٍ

مِزَاجُهما شَهْدٌ جَنيٌّ وَإِسْفَنطُ

مِزَاجُهما شَهْدٌ جَنيٌّ وَإِسْفَنطُ

And the fire of lips surrounds the paradise of a smiling mouth;

The fire of lips around the garden of a smile,

their blend is freshly gathered honeycomb and spiced wine.

Their blend is honey, fragrant wine, and pure musk.

فَلا ولَماهُ العَذْبُ لا كُنْتُ ناقِضاً

فَلا ولَماهُ العَذْبُ لا كُنْتُ ناقِضاً

عُهُودَ هَواهُ لا ولا ناسِياً قَطُّ

عُهُودَ هَواهُ لا ولا ناسِياً قَطُّ

No, then—by his sweet, dusky lips—I have never broken

If not for the sweet union, I would never violate

the pledges of love for him—no, nor ever forgotten them.

The covenants of his love, nor ever forget.