بسيفك المُنْتَضى من الكَحَلِ

بسيفك المُنْتَضى من الكَحَلِ

ووَرْدِك المُجْتنى من الحجلِ

ووَرْدِك المُجْتنى من الحجلِ

By your sword, unsheathed from kohl-dark eyes,

With your sword, sharpened with kohl,

And by your roses, plucked from partridges,

And your rose, plucked from the bramble,

وكأسك المُشْتَها مُقَبَّلُها

وكأسك المُشْتَها مُقَبَّلُها

أَنت لأَجلي خلقت أَمْ أَجَلي

أَنت لأَجلي خلقت أَمْ أَجَلي

And by your cup, whose rim one longs to kiss:

And your cup, kissed when sipped,

Were you created for my sake, or are you my death?

Were you created for me, or I for you?

أَهوى لذِكراك كلًّ عاذلة

أَهوى لذِكراك كلًّ عاذلة

حسْبك حبّاً محبّةُ العَذَل

حسْبك حبّاً محبّةُ العَذَل

For the mention of you, I love every reproaching woman;

I yearn for your mention, though the blamer blames,

Loving reproach is love enough for you.

Your love suffices me - the love of the blamer.

لولاك لم أَستلذّ لائمةً

لولاك لم أَستلذّ لائمةً

فليت مَنْ لامني عليَّ وَلِي

فليت مَنْ لامني عليَّ وَلِي

But for you, I would not delight in a reproaching woman;

Were it not for you, I'd not delight a blamer,

So would that whoever reproached me held sway over me,

Oh, that the one blaming me were my ally,

كي لا يكون المَلام منه على

كي لا يكون المَلام منه على

مُعتدِل القدّ غير معتدِل

مُعتدِل القدّ غير معتدِل

So that his reproach would not fall upon

So the blame from him would not be for

One upright in stature, yet not upright in conduct,

One straight of body, corrupt of soul,

مُبتهجٌ والنّفوس ذاهلةٌ

مُبتهجٌ والنّفوس ذاهلةٌ

وآِمنٌ والقلوب في وَجَل

وآِمنٌ والقلوب في وَجَل

Joyful, while souls are bewildered,

Joyous while hearts are heedless,

And secure, while hearts are in dread.

Safe while hearts are fearful.

لو بان جسمي لِخصره لَشكا

لو بان جسمي لِخصره لَشكا

ذاك إِلى ذا ظُلامةَ الكَفَل

ذاك إِلى ذا ظُلامةَ الكَفَل

If my body appeared before his waist, it would complain—

If my body appeared to his waist, it would complain

That waist to this body—of the tyranny of the haunches.

Of the darkness of that to this.