وَسَجَّعَت رَجعَ عودٍ بَينَ أَربَعَةٍ

وَسَجَّعَت رَجعَ عودٍ بَينَ أَربَعَةٍ

سِرُّ الضَمائِرِ فيما بَينَها عَلَنُ

سِرُّ الضَمائِرِ فيما بَينَها عَلَنُ

And she made a lute’s echo coo among four,

Her lute sings back and forth between four strings

The secret of hearts lying open among them.

Secrets of the heart revealed openly among them

فَوَلَّدَت لِلنَّدامى بَينَ نَغمَتِها

فَوَلَّدَت لِلنَّدامى بَينَ نَغمَتِها

وَكَفِّها فَرَحاً تَفصيلُهُ حَزَنُ

وَكَفِّها فَرَحاً تَفصيلُهُ حَزَنُ

So she brought forth for the drinking companions, between her melody

Bringing to the regretful from its melody

And her hand, a joy whose unfolding is sorrow.

Joy in detailed composition, though sorrowful refrain

فَما تَلَعثَمَ عَنها لَفظُ مِزهَرِها

فَما تَلَعثَمَ عَنها لَفظُ مِزهَرِها

وَلا تَحَيَّرَ في أَلحانِها لَحَنُ

وَلا تَحَيَّرَ في أَلحانِها لَحَنُ

So her lute’s utterance never faltered as it came from her,

No word of its eloquent language stumbled over itself

Nor did any tune wander astray among her melodies.

No tune among its melodies left in confusion

تُهدي إِلى كُلِّ جُزءٍ مِن طَبائِعَها

تُهدي إِلى كُلِّ جُزءٍ مِن طَبائِعَها

بَنانُها نَغَماً أَثمارُها فِتَنُ

بَنانُها نَغَماً أَثمارُها فِتَنُ

To every part of her nature are offered

Each facet of its nature guided effortlessly

By her fingertips, notes whose fruits are enchantments.

By its fingers into fruitful, mellifluous tune

وَتَرتَعي العَينُ مِنها رَوضَ وَجنَتِها

وَتَرتَعي العَينُ مِنها رَوضَ وَجنَتِها

طوراً وَتَسرَحُ في أَلفاظِها الأُذُنُ

طوراً وَتَسرَحُ في أَلفاظِها الأُذُنُ

And the eye grazes on the garden of her cheek

The eye may graze freely in its garden meadow

At times, while the ear roams through her words.

At times, the ear wander through its expressions