ليI have عاشِقٌa lover جَلَّis exalted قَدراin rank
لي عاشِقٌ جَلَّ قَدرا
فيamong العاشِقينَthe lovers
في العاشِقينَ
I have a lover, exalted in worth
I have a lover, exalted in rank
among all lovers.
Among lovers.
يَبينُhe appears فيin اللَيلِthe night بَدراas a full moon
يَبينُ في اللَيلِ بَدرا
لِلساهِرينto those who keep vigil
لِلساهِرين
By night he shines forth as a full moon
He appears at night as a full moon
to those who keep vigil.
To those who keep vigil.
وَفيand in النَهارِthe daytime شَمsun (first fragment)
وَفي النَهارِ شَم
سُsun (final fragment) الوِقارِdignity تَحتَbeneath إِزارِa wrap
سُ الوِقارِ تَحتَ إِزارِ
And by day, the su—
And by day, the sun
—n of dignity beneath a robe
Of dignity, beneath a wrap
منof ياسمينjasmine
من ياسمين
يُدميmakes bleed لهُfor him الحُبُّlove خَدَّهhis cheek
يُدمي لهُ الحُبُّ خَدَّه
of jasmine.
Of jasmine.
Love makes his cheeks bleed
Love makes his cheek bleed
مِنfrom نَظرَتَينtwo glances
مِن نَظرَتَين
وَماand not الهِيامُpassion فيfor
وَما الهِيامُ في
from two glances.
From two glances.
And passionate love for
And passion for
هِhim حَرامُforbidden لهُhe has قوامُa figure
هِ حَرامُ لهُ قوامُ
كَالحَربَتَينlike two spears
كَالحَربَتَين
him is no sin; his figure
Him is not forbidden; he has a figure
is like twin spears.
Like two spears.
فَكَمand how much سَقانيhe gave me to drink رُضاباsweet saliva
فَكَم سَقاني رُضابا
مِنfrom مِرشَفَيهhis two lips
مِن مِرشَفَيه
How often he has given me nectar to drink
And how much sweet saliva he gave me to drink
from his two lips!
From his lips!
وَماand not دَفَعتُI paid حِساباa bill
وَما دَفَعتُ حِسابا
وَلاnor جنيَهa pound
وَلا جنيَه
And I paid no bill—
And I paid no bill
not a single pound.
Nor a pound.
وَماand not لَبِثتُI lingered حَتّىuntil
وَما لَبِثتُ حَتّى
سَكرتُI became drunk ثُمَّthen أَفَقتُI came to
سَكرتُ ثُمَّ أَفَقتُ
I had scarcely lingered when
And it was not long before
I grew drunk, then came to
I grew drunk, then came to
بَينَbetween يَدَيهhis two hands
بَينَ يَدَيه
in his presence.
Between his hands.
