لَمَعَتgleamed لَيلاًat night فَقالواso they said لَهبُflame
لَمَعَت لَيلاً فَقالوا لَهبُ
وَصفَتand grew clear لَناًfor us فَقالواso they said ذهبُgold
وَصفَت لَناً فَقالوا ذهبُ
It gleamed at night, so they said, "Flame!"
It shone at night, so they said it was a flame
And it grew clear for us, so they said, "Gold!"
It was described to us as yellow, so they said it was gold
وإِذاand when اِندَفَقَتpoured forth منfrom دَنِّهاits wine jar
وإِذا اِندَفَقَت من دَنِّها
فيin الدُجىthe darkness قالواthey said طِرازٌembroidery مُذهَبُgilded
في الدُجى قالوا طِرازٌ مُذهَبُ
And when it poured forth from its wine jar
And when it flowed from its vessel
in the darkness, they said, "Gilded embroidery!"
In the darkness, they said it was gilded brocade
قَهوَةٌwine رقَّتgrew delicate فَلَولاso were it not for كأسُهاits cup
قَهوَةٌ رقَّت فَلَولا كأسُها
لمwould not يشاهدsee جرمَهاits substance يَشرَبُdrinks
لم يشاهد جرمَها يَشرَبُ
A wine so delicate that, were it not for its cup,
A coffee so gentle that if not for its cup
one would not see its substance while drinking.
Its body could not be seen as it was sipped
وَتراهاand you see it فيin يَدِthe hand of الساعيthe bearer بهاwith it
وَتراها في يَدِ الساعي بها
كَوكَباًa star يَسعىhastens بهاwith it ليto me كَوكَبُa star
كَوكَباً يَسعى بها لي كَوكَبُ
And you see it in the hand of the one bearing it:
And you see it in the bearer's hand
a star, which a star carries to me.
Like a star rushing to bring a star to me
أَلبسَتهاclothed it الكأسُthe cup طوقاًa collar ذَهَباًgold
أَلبسَتها الكأسُ طوقاً ذَهَباً
وَحباهاand bestowed upon it باللآليwith pearls الحَبَبُthe bubbles
وَحباها باللآلي الحَبَبُ
The cup clothed it in a collar of gold,
The cup dressed it in a necklace of gold
and the bubbles bestowed pearls upon it.
And endowed it with sweet subtlety
عجِبواthey marveled منat نورهاits light إذwhen أَشرقَتit shone
عجِبوا من نورها إذ أَشرقَت
وَشَذاهاand its fragrance منthan سَناهاits radiance أَعجَبُmore wondrous
وَشَذاها من سَناها أَعجَبُ
They marveled at its light when it shone,
They marveled at its light when it shone
and its fragrance is more wondrous than its radiance.
And its aroma from its traits was most wondrous
بنتُdaughter of كَرمٍa vine كرُمَتwere noble أَوصافُهاher qualities
بنتُ كَرمٍ كرُمَت أَوصافُها
أَيُّwhat a بنتٍdaughter قامdeparted عنهاfrom her العِنبُthe grapes
أَيُّ بنتٍ قام عنها العِنبُ
A daughter of the vine, noble in her qualities—
A daughter of nobility, her traits were noble
what a daughter the grapes have left behind!
What daughter stood taller than her?