سَقياًmay it be watered وَرَعياًand may it be protected لِدارٍupon a dwelling ماnever مَرَرتُI passed بِهاby it
سَقياً وَرَعياً لِدارٍ ما مَرَرتُ بِها
إِلّاexcept that تَذَكَّرتُI recalled أَترابيmy age-mates وَأَطرابيand my joys
إِلّا تَذَكَّرتُ أَترابي وَأَطرابي
May rain and care bless a dwelling I never passed
without recalling my companions and my joys.
دارٌa dwelling نَعِمناwe lived in bliss بِهاin it وَالكَأسُand the cup دائِرَةٌgoing round
دارٌ نَعِمنا بِها وَالكَأسُ دائِرَةٌ
تَفتَرُّit parts in a smile عَنto reveal حَبَبٍbubbles ماemphatic particle بَينَamong أَحبابِdear friends
تَفتَرُّ عَن حَبَبٍ ما بَينَ أَحبابِ
A dwelling where we lived in bliss while the cup went round,
smiling to reveal bubbles among dear friends.
وَالرَّاحُand the palms بِالراحِwith wine ماnot تَنفَكُّcease to be حالِيَةًadorned
وَالرَّاحُ بِالراحِ ما تَنفَكُّ حالِيَةً
وَنَحنُand we ماemphatic particle بَينَamong أَعرابٍBedouins وَأَغرابِand strangers
وَنَحنُ ما بَينَ أَعرابٍ وَأَغرابِ
And our palms were ever adorned with wine,
while we were among Bedouins and strangers.
لَوif كُنتُI were أُنصِفُI treated fairly أَطلالاًruins مَرَرتُI passed بِهاby them
لَو كُنتُ أُنصِفُ أَطلالاً مَرَرتُ بِها
جَعَلتُهاI would have made them حَيثُماwherever يَمَّمتُI turned مِحرابيmy prayer-niche
جَعَلتُها حَيثُما يَمَّمتُ مِحرابي
Had I done justice to the ruins I passed,
I would have made them my prayer-niche wherever I turned.
وَالنَفسُand the soul عانِيَةٌcaptive فيin حُبِّlove of غانِيَةٍa beautiful woman
وَالنَفسُ عانِيَةٌ في حُبِّ غانِيَةٍ
تَسطوshe assails بِطَرفٍwith a gaze غَريرٍinnocent ساحِرٍenchanting سابيenslaving
تَسطو بِطَرفٍ غَريرٍ ساحِرٍ سابي
And my soul is captive in love with a beauty
who assails with an innocent, enchanting, enslaving gaze.
إِنّيindeed I لأَحسُدُI surely envy مِسواكاًa tooth-cleaning twig تُقَلِّبُهُshe turns it
إِنّي لأَحسُدُ مِسواكاً تُقَلِّبُهُ
ماemphatic particle بَينَbetween دُرّpearls وَبلّورٍand crystal وَعُنّابِand jujubes
ما بَينَ دُرّ وَبلّورٍ وَعُنّابِ
Indeed, I envy a tooth-cleaning twig she turns
between pearls, crystal, and jujubes.
إِنif كانَit is مُستَوجِباًdeserving هَذاthis لِدِقَّتِهِfor its slenderness
إِن كانَ مُستَوجِباً هَذا لِدِقَّتِهِ
إِنّيindeed I لأَنحَفُsurely thinner مِنهُthan it بَينَwithin أَثوابيmy garments
إِنّي لأَنحَفُ مِنهُ بَينَ أَثوابي
If it deserves this for its slenderness,
I am surely thinner than it beneath my clothes.