أَسعفَتcame to the aid of ذاتُshe of الرضابsaliva السَلسَبيلsweet and smoothly flowing
أَسعفَت ذاتُ الرضاب السَلسَبيل
مغرماًa passionate lover قدalready طالَhad lasted long نحبُهhis lament
مغرماً قد طالَ نحبُه
She of sweet, flowing saliva came to the aid
The one with braided hair has granted relief
Of a lover whose lament had long endured.
To a lovesick man whose longing has persisted
وَأَغاثَتand she brought relief منthrough لُقاهاmeeting her بالجَميلwith kindness
وَأَغاثَت من لُقاها بالجَميل
فصفاso became pure زادُهhis provisions وشربُهand his drink
فصفا زادُه وشربُه
And kindly relieved him through a meeting with her,
And aided with kindness whoever faces her
So his food and drink became pure.
So his inner self and drink are purified
وَشفَتand she healed صبّاًa passionate lover بهاbecause of her مضنىًworn out عَليلailing
وَشفَت صبّاً بها مضنىً عَليل
دمعُهhis tears ماnot كفّceased غربُهtheir torrent
دمعُه ما كفّ غربُه
And healed a lover worn and sick from loving her,
And healed flowing tears of one who's frail
Whose tears never ceased to pour.
His weeping does not cease its flowing
ماthere is no عَلىupon عانيthe captive of هواهاlove for her منany سَبيلground for blame
ما عَلى عاني هواها من سَبيل
إِنif صَباyearns أَوهامor is love-mad قَلبُهhis heart
إِن صَبا أَوهام قَلبُه
There is no blame upon the captive of her love
No escape for one enamored with her love
If his heart yearns or is mad with love.
If imaginations of his heart have poured out
عادَreturned عيدُthe festival of الوصلunion منfrom بعدafter البِعادseparation
عادَ عيدُ الوصل من بعد البِعاد
وَبدتand appeared أَقمارُthe moons of سَعديmy good fortune
وَبدت أَقمارُ سَعدي
The festival of union returned after separation,
The joy of reunion has returned after separation
And the moons of my good fortune appeared.
And moons of my happiness have appeared
وَقَضتand she fulfilled ذاتُshe of اللَمىthe dark tint of the lips حقَّthe due of الودادlove
وَقَضت ذاتُ اللَمى حقَّ الوداد
بعدَafter إِعراضturning away وصدِّand rejection
بعدَ إِعراض وصدِّ
And she of dusky lips paid love its due,
The one who suffered has fulfilled true affection
After turning away and rejection.
After aloofness and rejection
وأَنالَتand she granted صبّهاher ardent lover أَقصىthe utmost المرادdesire
وأَنالَت صبّها أَقصى المراد
ووفَتand she fulfilled بالوصلthrough union وعديthe promise made to me
ووفَت بالوصل وعدي
And granted her lover his utmost desire,
And gained her flowing tears their utmost desire
And fulfilled through union the promise made to me.
Keeping her promise of reunion made to me
فسلوّيso my detachment عَنfrom هَواهاlove for her مستحيلimpossible
فسلوّي عَن هَواها مستحيل
لاdo not تقلsay قدalready بانhas become clear كذبُهhis falsehood
لا تقل قد بان كذبُه
So my ceasing to love her is impossible;
Ask me not about her love, for it's impossible
Do not say his falsehood has become clear.
Do not say his lies have been revealed