للريحfor the wind فيin وَجَناتِcheeks الوَردِthe roses تَخميشُscratching
للريح في وَجَناتِ الوَردِ تَخميشُ
وَللصباand for the east breeze بغصونamong the boughs البانِthe moringa trees تَحريشُteasing
وَللصبا بغصون البانِ تَحريشُ
The wind scratches the cheeks of the roses,
The wind rustles the rose gardens,
And the east breeze teases the moringa boughs.
And the morning breeze stirs the hyacinth boughs.
وَالنَهرُand the river قدalready نقشَتهetched it السحبُthe clouds منout of طربٍrapture
وَالنَهرُ قد نقشَته السحبُ من طربٍ
كأَنَّهas though it were مِعصمٌa wrist بالدُرِّwith pearls مَنقوشُpatterned
كأَنَّه مِعصمٌ بالدُرِّ مَنقوشُ
And the clouds have etched the river in rapture,
The stream etched by the enraptured clouds,
As though it were a wrist patterned with pearls.
As if a bracelet inlaid with pearls.
وَالرَوضُand the garden بالزَهرwith flowers منضودٌarrayed يَروقُdelights لناto us
وَالرَوضُ بالزَهر منضودٌ يَروقُ لنا
كأَنَّهas though it were مجلسٌa gathering-place للصَحبfor friends مَفروشُcarpeted
كأَنَّه مجلسٌ للصَحب مَفروشُ
And the garden, arrayed with flowers, delights us,
The meadow is strewn with flowers to delight us,
As though it were a gathering-place carpeted for friends.
Like a gathering place with carpets spread.
وَثَغرُand the mouth نورbloom الأَقاحيthe daisies فيهin it مُبتَسِمٌsmiling
وَثَغرُ نور الأَقاحي فيه مُبتَسِمٌ
وَطرفُand the eye نَرجسِهits narcissus للّهوby merriment مَدهوشُdazed
وَطرفُ نَرجسِه للّهو مَدهوشُ
And the mouth of the daisy bloom smiles there,
The radiant faces smile within,
And its narcissus eye is dazed by merriment.
While their narcissus glances flirt and tease.
وَطرَّةُand the forelock الآسِthe myrtle ماwhat lies بينamong الرياضthe gardens لهاit has
وَطرَّةُ الآسِ ما بين الرياض لها
لَمّاwhen تَلاعبَتfrolicked together الأَغصانُthe branches تَشويشُdisarray
لَمّا تَلاعبَت الأَغصانُ تَشويشُ
And the myrtle's forelock, amid the gardens,
The pony prances playfully amidst the orchards,
Is tousled when the branches frolic.
Frolicking as the branches whip.
وَالوردُand the rose تَنشرهُunfurls it ريحُthe wind الصَباthe east breeze سَحَراًbefore dawn
وَالوردُ تَنشرهُ ريحُ الصَبا سَحَراً
كأَنَّهas though it were عارضٌa cheek باللَثمby kisses مَخدوشُscratched
كأَنَّه عارضٌ باللَثم مَخدوشُ
And the east breeze unfurls the rose before dawn,
The rose expands by the morning breeze like a charm,
As though it were a cheek scratched by kisses.
As if rouged lips blown with a kiss.
وَالطيرُand the birds فَوقَabove غُصونboughs البانthe moringa trees عاكفةٌstaying
وَالطيرُ فَوقَ غُصون البان عاكفةٌ
كأَنَّماas though خانَهاfailed them خَوفُfear النَوىparting ريشُfeathers
كأَنَّما خانَها خَوفُ النَوى ريشُ
And the birds stay perched on the moringa boughs,
The birds hover above the hyacinth boughs
As though their feathers had failed them for fear of parting.
As though their nesting fear had shed their feathers.
وَالدهرُand time يضحكُlaughs مِنat ضحكlaughter الكؤوسthe cups بهin it
وَالدهرُ يضحكُ مِن ضحك الكؤوس به
وَلِلمُدامand for wine بهin it لعبٌplay وَتَجميشُand amorous teasing
وَلِلمُدام به لعبٌ وَتَجميشُ
And time laughs at the cups' laughter there,
Time smiles at the cups’ laughter,
And wine has its frolics and amorous teasing there.
Allowing revelry and celebration.
وأفقُناand our horizon بلأليwith pearls الغَيثِthe rain متَّشِحٌdraped
وأفقُنا بلألي الغَيثِ متَّشِحٌ
وَقُطرناand our land بمياهِwith waters القَطرthe rain مَرشوشُsprinkled
وَقُطرنا بمياهِ القَطر مَرشوشُ
And our horizon is draped in the rain's pearls,
Our horizons don in the rain's glittering gowns,
And our land is sprinkled with rainwater.
Drenched with dripping beads.
وَنَحنُand we فيin مَجلِسٍa gathering راقَتdelighted محاسِنُهُits charms
وَنَحنُ في مَجلِسٍ راقَت محاسِنُهُ
فيهin it الرَقيبُthe watcher عَمٍblind والواشِand the tale-bearer أطروشُdeaf
فيه الرَقيبُ عَمٍ والواشِ أطروشُ
And we are in a gathering whose charms delight us,
With censors burnt and wine freely poured.
Where the watcher is blind and the tale-bearer deaf.
Ask no questions about our emptying flasks,
فَلاso do not تسلask عَنabout لُباناتٍdesires بهin it قُضيَتwere fulfilled
فَلا تسل عَن لُباناتٍ به قُضيَت
فَلَيسَfor it is not يَحسُنُis seemly عنهاinto them اليومtoday تَفتيشُinquiry
فَلَيسَ يَحسُنُ عنها اليوم تَفتيشُ
So do not ask about desires fulfilled there,
For today calls not for reproof but rejoicing!
For prying into them today is not seemly.
Partial English translation: 21 of 22 Arabic lines translated.