يا من به تزدهي الدهور

يا من به تزدهي الدهور

ومن له تخضع البدور

ومن له تخضع البدور

O you in whom the ages take pride,

O you who with him the ages prosper

And before whom the full moons bow,

And to whom the cycles submit

ومن اذا احتل في علاه

ومن اذا احتل في علاه

فكل جفن به قرير

فكل جفن به قرير

And who, when you dwell in your lofty station,

And when he prevails in his ascension

Bring delight to every eye.

Every eyelid with him is awake

قد عوتب الشادن الغرير

قد عوتب الشادن الغرير

فعاد من وصله اليسير

فعاد من وصله اليسير

The guileless young gazelle was reproached,

The unwise lover has been reproached

So a little of his intimacy returned.

So he returned from his easy union

ومن لي بالجواب تيها

ومن لي بالجواب تيها

وهو بما قلته خبير

وهو بما قلته خبير

And proudly he favored me with an answer,

And I am confused how to respond

While knowing well what I had said.

While he is aware of what I've said

فافتر عن واضح شنيب

فافتر عن واضح شنيب

فيه لميت الهوى النشور

فيه لميت الهوى النشور

Then he smiled, revealing a shining mouth, sweet and cool,

So overlook the clear mistake

In which one dead of love finds resurrection.

In which the love of him revives

ثم تلاقت لنا عيون

ثم تلاقت لنا عيون

تخالفت تحتها الصدور

تخالفت تحتها الصدور

Then our eyes met,

Then our eyes met

Yet beneath them our breasts were at odds.

While our hearts differed

ترجم بالثغر عن معان

ترجم بالثغر عن معان

ضن باعلانها الضمير

ضن باعلانها الضمير

Through his lips he conveyed meanings

With my mouth I translated meanings

That his inner self had been loath to reveal.

My conscience was stingy in declaring them

ولم نزل نعمل الحميا

ولم نزل نعمل الحميا

واللحظ ما بيننا سفير

واللحظ ما بيننا سفير

And we kept plying the potent wine,

And we kept on acting coyly

With glances as the envoy between us:

While glances between us played messenger

مدامة افنت الليالي

مدامة افنت الليالي

وارضعت ثديها الدهور

وارضعت ثديها الدهور

A wine that had worn the nights away

Nights persisted intoxicating

And suckled the ages at its breast.

And time suckled its breast

تخالها في الكؤوس سرا

تخالها في الكؤوس سرا

وهي اشرابها سرور

وهي اشرابها سرور

You would think it a secret within the cups,

Imagine it in cups a secret

Yet its draughts are joy.

While its drinking is joy

حتى اذا ما الصدود اودى

حتى اذا ما الصدود اودى

تناولت مزجها الثغور

تناولت مزجها الثغور

Until, when estrangement had perished,

Until barriers destroyed

The mouths undertook to mix it.

And mouths took its blend

فاهنأ بما قد هنا محب

فاهنأ بما قد هنا محب

خطرك في نفسه خطير

خطرك في نفسه خطير

So rejoice in a loving admirer's congratulations,

Rejoice in what has delighted a lover

Your standing in his soul is great.

Your affair in his soul serious

كان لك اللَه من وفي

كان لك اللَه من وفي

وفي به دهرنا الغرور

وفي به دهرنا الغرور

May God be with you, faithful one,

May Allah be faithful to you

Through whom our deceitful age has kept faith.

And through him our misleading epoch

ان الورى اصبحوا أجاجا

ان الورى اصبحوا أجاجا

وانك السائغ النمير

وانك السائغ النمير

Indeed, mankind has become bitter brine,

Creation has become agitated

And you are water, pleasant and pure.

While you are the gentle, pure one

لطفت ظرفاً وطبت حتى

لطفت ظرفاً وطبت حتى

ترجم عن خلقك العبير

ترجم عن خلقك العبير

You are refined in grace, and so sweet that

You were gentle and good until

Perfume speaks of your character.

Your nature translated perfume

لازلت بالفضل لي مليا

لازلت بالفضل لي مليا

فانني بالثنا فقير

فانني بالثنا فقير

May you ever be rich in bounty toward me,

Still for me you are plentiful kindness

For I am poor in praise.

For I am poor in praise