قَد زارَني مِن بَني الأَتراكِ مُختَفِياً

قَد زارَني مِن بَني الأَتراكِ مُختَفِياً

ظَبيٌ عَلى غَيرِ ميعادٍ لَهُ سَلَفا

ظَبيٌ عَلى غَيرِ ميعادٍ لَهُ سَلَفا

From among the Turks came to visit me in secret

A guest has come to me from the Turks' abode

A gazelle, with no rendezvous arranged for him beforehand.

A gazelle, unanticipated and unforetold

يهزُّ مِن قَدِّهِ رُمحاً عَلى نَقَوَي

يهزُّ مِن قَدِّهِ رُمحاً عَلى نَقَوَي

رَملٍ يَنوءُ بِهِ ثِقلاً إِذا اِنعَطَفا

رَملٍ يَنوءُ بِهِ ثِقلاً إِذا اِنعَطَفا

He sways the spear of his frame above two mounds

Shaking from his slender figure a spear

Of sand, whose weight bears him down whenever he bends.

Over shifting sands which burden it when bent

سَقَت عَوارِضَهُ جَفناهُ سارِيَةً

سَقَت عَوارِضَهُ جَفناهُ سارِيَةً

فَأَنبَتَت عارِضاهُ رَوضَةً أُنُفا

فَأَنبَتَت عارِضاهُ رَوضَةً أُنُفا

His eyelids watered his cheeks with a night shower,

His eyelids rain perennial sweetness

So his cheeks brought forth a fresh, untouched meadow.

And his glances seed a blooming meadow

كَأَنَّهُ دُرَّةُ الغَوّاصِ كادَ يَرى

كَأَنَّهُ دُرَّةُ الغَوّاصِ كادَ يَرى

مِن قَبلِ رُؤيَتِها في كَفِّهِ التَلَفا

مِن قَبلِ رُؤيَتِها في كَفِّهِ التَلَفا

He is like the diver's pearl; the diver nearly met

As if he were a pearl the diver glimpsed

Death before seeing it in his palm.

Just before seizing it in his palm

وَلا سَبيلَ إِلى مَعسولِ ريقَتِهِ

وَلا سَبيلَ إِلى مَعسولِ ريقَتِهِ

حَتّى يَبيتَ مِنَ الصَهباءِ مُرتَشَفا

حَتّى يَبيتَ مِنَ الصَهباءِ مُرتَشَفا

And there is no way to taste his honeyed saliva

No access to the honey of his lips

Until he spends the night sipping tawny wine.

Until he sips from Zamzam at nightfall

فَامنُن بِها مِثلَ ديني رِقَّةً وَشَذى

فَامنُن بِها مِثلَ ديني رِقَّةً وَشَذى

ذِكراكَ طيباً وَقَلبي في هَواكَ صَفا

ذِكراكَ طيباً وَقَلبي في هَواكَ صَفا

So grant me wine—thin as my faith, and fragrant as the scent

So favor me with tenderness like my faith, and joy -

Of your remembrance, and pure as my heart in loving you.

Your memory is sweet, and my heart is clear in its passion for you