وساقٍ كمثل الغزال الربيب

وساقٍ كمثل الغزال الربيب

بصيرِ اللِّحاظ بصيدِ القلوبِ

بصيرِ اللِّحاظ بصيدِ القلوبِ

And a cupbearer like a hand-reared gazelle,

With legs like a graceful gazelle

whose glances are skilled at hunting hearts.

Whose glances hunt hearts

جريتُ عليه فَقَبَّلتُهُ

جريتُ عليه فَقَبَّلتُهُ

مجاهرةً في جفون الرقيب

مجاهرةً في جفون الرقيب

I rushed upon him and kissed him,

I rushed to him and kissed him

openly, before the watcher's eyes.

Defiantly before the watcher’s eyes

فلما توسَّد كفَّ الكرى

فلما توسَّد كفَّ الكرى

وأهداه لي سُكرُهُ من قريب

وأهداه لي سُكرُهُ من قريب

Then, when he pillowed his head on slumber's palm,

But when he pillowed his cheek in his palm

and his drunkenness offered him to me, close at hand,

And his sweet drunkenness drew him near

تَعَجَّلتُ ذنبا بفتكي به

تَعَجَّلتُ ذنبا بفتكي به

ولكنَّهُ من مليح الذنوبِ

ولكنَّهُ من مليح الذنوبِ

I hastened into sin by my assault upon him,

I was quick to sin, undoing him

yet it was one of the lovely sins.

Though it was a lovely sin