وَمُختَضِبٍand a henna-stained man بِحَثّيat my urging لِلعُقارِfor wine
وَمُختَضِبٍ بِحَثّي لِلعُقارِ
سَقَتنيgave me drink كَفُّهُhis palm وَالنِجمُwhile the star سارِjourneying by night
سَقَتني كَفُّهُ وَالنِجمُ سارِ
Many a henna-dyed youth, at my urging for wine—
And a henna-stained man, at my urging for wine,
his palm gave me drink as the star traveled on.
Gave me drink with his hand while the star journeyed by night.
وَفيand in يُمناهُhis right hand إِبريقٌa ewer وَماءٌand water
وَفي يُمناهُ إِبريقٌ وَماءٌ
وَكَأسُand the cup الخَمرِof wine فيin يَدِهِhis hand اليَسارِthe left
وَكَأسُ الخَمرِ في يَدِهِ اليَسارِ
In his right hand, a pitcher and water;
And in his right hand were a ewer and water,
and in his left hand, the cup of wine.
And the wine-cup was in his left hand.
فَخِلتُso I thought يَمينَهُhis right hand لَمّاwhen أَراقَتit poured out
فَخِلتُ يَمينَهُ لَمّا أَراقَت
مِزاجَthe mixing water الكَأسِof the cup مَمضَغَةًa morsel to chew لِضارِfor a beast of prey
مِزاجَ الكَأسِ مَمضَغَةً لِضارِ
I fancied his right hand, as it poured
So I thought his right hand, as it poured
the cup’s diluting water, a morsel for a ravenous beast.
The water for the cup, a morsel for a beast of prey to chew.
