لِمِحْبَرَةِ البُنّيِّ وقْفٌ يَقوتُها

لِمِحْبَرَةِ البُنّيِّ وقْفٌ يَقوتُها

إذا ما شكَتْ برْحَ الأوامِ تَراقِيها

إذا ما شكَتْ برْحَ الأوامِ تَراقِيها

Al-Bunni’s inkwell has an endowment that sustains it;

The brown-skinned beloved has an income that sustains her

whenever its collarbones complain of the torment of thirst,

When she complains of the separation nights overtaking her

تنفّسَ فِيها منْ سُلافَةِ صدْرِهِ

تنفّسَ فِيها منْ سُلافَةِ صدْرِهِ

فيَغْسِلُها بالحِبْرِ منْهُ ويَسْقِيها

فيَغْسِلُها بالحِبْرِ منْهُ ويَسْقِيها

he breathes into it some of the choicest wine of his breast,

He breathes into her from the sincerity of his chest

then washes it with ink from himself and gives it drink.

So he washes her with ink from him and gives her to drink