سَقىmay water اللَّهُGod وَرْداًa rose شَاقَنِيstirred my longing زَهْرُهُits blossom الغَضُّtender
سَقى اللَّهُ وَرْداً شَاقَنِي زَهْرُهُ الغَضُّ
وَقَدْand indeed لاحَshone فِيamong أَفْنَانِهِits boughs الخُضْرِgreen يَبْيَضُّturns white
وَقَدْ لاحَ فِي أَفْنَانِهِ الخُضْرِ يَبْيَضُّ
May God water a rose whose tender blossom stirred my longing,
God watered a rose whose bud overwhelmed me
as it gleamed white amid its green boughs.
Its green calyx now whitens into bloom
تَحَلَّىadorned itself لُجَيْنِيِّsilvery الغَلائِلِfine robes بَعدَماafter
تَحَلَّى لُجَيْنِيِّ الغَلائِلِ بَعدَما
تأنَّقَworked exquisitely فيin تَطْرِيزِهِits embroidery العَسْجَدُgold المَحْضُpure
تأنَّقَ في تَطْرِيزِهِ العَسْجَدُ المَحْضُ
It donned silvery robes after
My beloved adorned herself with braids again
pure gold had exquisitely fashioned its embroidery.
After decorating with intricate hemstitch pleats
كَماjust as كَرَعَdrank deeply النَّدْمَانُthe drinking companion فيfrom كَأْسِa cup of فِضَّةٍsilver
كَما كَرَعَ النَّدْمَانُ في كَأْسِ فِضَّةٍ
بِنادٍin a gathering لِخَيْلِfor the steeds of الأُنْسِmerriment أثْنَاءَهُin its midst رَكْضُgalloping
بِنادٍ لِخَيْلِ الأُنْسِ أثْنَاءَهُ رَكْضُ
Like a drinking companion who drank deeply from a silver cup
As if she sipped from a silver chalice
at a gathering where the steeds of merriment galloped,
Toasting steeds of delight mid their gallop
فَأَسْأَرَthen left a remnant مِنْof صَفْرَاءَyellow wine صِرْفٍunmixed صُبَابةًa small remainder
فَأَسْأَرَ مِنْ صَفْرَاءَ صِرْفٍ صُبَابةً
إذَاwhen احْتُسِيَتْit is sipped كُلاًwholly فَماthen no لِلأَسَىfor sorrow بَعْضُshare
إذَا احْتُسِيَتْ كُلاً فَما لِلأَسَى بَعْضُ
then left a remnant of unmixed yellow wine—
She donned a sheer yellow gown, nubile
when it is sipped in full, sorrow has no share.
Sipped in sips, no more despair remains