لعِبت بأيامِ الزّمان وطاولت

لعِبت بأيامِ الزّمان وطاولت

مُددَ اللّيالي فَهيَ جِرمٌ صافِ

مُددَ اللّيالي فَهيَ جِرمٌ صافِ

It has toyed with the days of time and rivaled

She toyed with the days of time, and persisted

the spans of nights; it is a clear substance.

Prolonging the nights, so she is a delicate body

فإذا استقّرت في الكؤوس حسبتَها

فإذا استقّرت في الكؤوس حسبتَها

منها لرقّةِ جرمها المتكافي

منها لرقّةِ جرمها المتكافي

So when it settles in the goblets, you think it

So when she settled in the cups you'd think

part of them, so fine is its substance, matching theirs.

Her delicacy makes her parts conform

عُصرت كأنَّ مِنَ اللألىء ذُوّبت

عُصرت كأنَّ مِنَ اللألىء ذُوّبت

فشرابُها من كُلِّ ضُرٍّ شافِ

فشرابُها من كُلِّ ضُرٍّ شافِ

It was pressed as though it had been melted from pearls;

She was pressed as if melted from pearls

so its draught heals every ill.

So her drink heals all ailments

قد أوهمت حكمَ الحدودِ فظنّها

قد أوهمت حكمَ الحدودِ فظنّها

ماء وقد حكمت بحكمٍ خافِ

ماء وقد حكمت بحكمٍ خافِ

It has misled the judge of prescribed penalties, so he thought it

She deceived the judgment of boundaries, so it thought

water, though it ruled with a hidden judgment.

Her water, though it judged with a faulty judgment