أَشَمسٌ في غِلالَةِ أُرجُوانِ

أَشَمسٌ في غِلالَةِ أُرجُوانِ

وَبَدرٌ طالِعٌ في غُصنِ بانِ

وَبَدرٌ طالِعٌ في غُصنِ بانِ

Is it a sun within a veil of purple?

Is it a sun in a robe of crimson-purple,

Or a full moon rising from a bān-tree bough?

and a full moon rising in a ban-tree bough?

وَثَغرٌ ما أَرى أَم نَظمُ دُرٍّ

وَثَغرٌ ما أَرى أَم نَظمُ دُرٍّ

وَلَحظٌ ما حَوى أَم صارِمانِ

وَلَحظٌ ما حَوى أَم صارِمانِ

Or a smiling mouth? I cannot tell—or a string of pearls?

And is what I see a mouth, or a string of pearls?

And that gaze—what does it hold, or is it two keen swords?

And is what he has a glance, or two sharp swords?

وَخَدٌّ فيهِ تُفّاحٌ وَوَردٌ

وَخَدٌّ فيهِ تُفّاحٌ وَوَردٌ

عَلَيهِ مِنَ العَقارِبِ حارِسانِ

عَلَيهِ مِنَ العَقارِبِ حارِسانِ

A cheek where apples and roses bloom,

And a cheek with apples and roses,

with two scorpion-locks standing guard over it.

guarded by two scorpions?

وَيَعذُلُني العَواذِلُ فيهِ جَهلاً

وَيَعذُلُني العَواذِلُ فيهِ جَهلاً

عَزيزٌ ما يَقولُ العاذِلانِ

عَزيزٌ ما يَقولُ العاذِلانِ

The censurers ignorantly reproach me for loving him;

And the reproachers ignorantly chide me over him;

hard indeed is what those two reproachers say.

hard to bear is what the two reproachers say.

فَقالوا عَبدُ موسى قُلتُ حَقّاً

فَقالوا عَبدُ موسى قُلتُ حَقّاً

فَقالوا كَيفَ ذا قُلتُ اِشتَراني

فَقالوا كَيفَ ذا قُلتُ اِشتَراني

They said, “Musa’s slave?” I said, “Indeed.”

Then they said, “Musa’s slave.” I said, “Indeed.”

They said, “How so?” I said, “He bought me.”

Then they said, “How so?” I said, “He bought me.”

فَقالوا هَل عَلَيكَ بِذا ظَهيرٌ

فَقالوا هَل عَلَيكَ بِذا ظَهيرٌ

فَقُلتُ نَعَم عَلَيَّ وَشاهِدانِ

فَقُلتُ نَعَم عَلَيَّ وَشاهِدانِ

They said, “Have you any witness to that?”

Then they said, “Can anyone support this claim against you?”

I said, “Yes—against me stand two witnesses.”

Then I said, “Yes—and two witnesses against me.”

فَقالوا هَل رَضيتَ تَكونُ عَبداً

فَقالوا هَل رَضيتَ تَكونُ عَبداً

لَقَد عَرَّضتَ نَفسَكَ لِلهَوانِ

لَقَد عَرَّضتَ نَفسَكَ لِلهَوانِ

They said, “Are you content to be a slave?

Then they said, “Have you agreed to be a slave?

You have exposed yourself to abasement.”

You have indeed exposed yourself to humiliation.”

فَقُلتُ نَعَم أَنا عَبدٌ ذَليلٌ

فَقُلتُ نَعَم أَنا عَبدٌ ذَليلٌ

لِمَن أَهوى فَخَلّوني وَشاني

لِمَن أَهوى فَخَلّوني وَشاني

I said, “Yes. I am a lowly slave

Then I said, “Yes, I am a lowly slave

to the one I love—so leave me to my own affair.

to the one I love; so leave me to my own affairs.”

بِنَفسي مَن يُفَدّيني بِنَفسٍ

بِنَفسي مَن يُفَدّيني بِنَفسٍ

جُعِلتُ فِداهُ لَمّا أَن فَداني

جُعِلتُ فِداهُ لَمّا أَن فَداني

My life be ransom for the one who ransoms me with his life;

My life for him who pledges his own life for me;

I became his ransom when he ransomed me.

I was made his ransom when he ransomed me.

سَأَلتُكَ حاجَةً إِن تَقضِها لي

سَأَلتُكَ حاجَةً إِن تَقضِها لي

فَقالَ نَعَم قَضَيتُ وَحاجَتانِ

فَقالَ نَعَم قَضَيتُ وَحاجَتانِ

I asked you for one favor—if you will grant it to me.

I asked you for a favor, if you would grant it to me.

He said, “Yes, I have granted it—and two favors.”

Then he said, “Yes, granted—and two favors more.”

فَقُلتُ أَشَمُّ مِن خَدَّيكَ وَرداً

فَقُلتُ أَشَمُّ مِن خَدَّيكَ وَرداً

فَقالَ وَما تَضُمُّ الوَجنَتانِ

فَقالَ وَما تَضُمُّ الوَجنَتانِ

I said, “Let me breathe in a rose from your cheeks.”

Then I said, “Let me smell roses from your cheeks.”

He said, “And what do the two cheeks enclose?”

Then he said, “And whatever both cheeks hold.”

فَقُلتُ أَخافَ صُدغَكَ أَن يَراني

فَقُلتُ أَخافَ صُدغَكَ أَن يَراني

وَما أَنا مِن لِحاظِكَ في أَمانِ

وَما أَنا مِن لِحاظِكَ في أَمانِ

I said, “I fear your temple-lock may see me,

Then I said, “I fear your temple-lock may see me,

and from your glances I am far from safe.”

and I am not safe from your glances.”

فَقالَ أَعاشِقٌ وَيَخافُ رَمياً

فَقالَ أَعاشِقٌ وَيَخافُ رَمياً

جَبُنتَ وَما عَهِدتُكَ بِالجَبانِ

جَبُنتَ وَما عَهِدتُكَ بِالجَبانِ

He said, “A lover—and afraid of being shot?

Then he said, “A lover, yet afraid of being shot?

You have grown cowardly; I never knew you for a coward.

You have turned cowardly; I never knew you for a coward.”

كَذاكَ الصَبُّ يَعذِرُ كُلَّ صَبٍّ

كَذاكَ الصَبُّ يَعذِرُ كُلَّ صَبٍّ

تَحَكَّم ما تَشاءُ وَفي ضَماني

تَحَكَّم ما تَشاءُ وَفي ضَماني

Thus every lovesick heart excuses every other.

Thus the lovesick lover excuses every lovesick lover:

Command whatever you wish; it is guaranteed by me.”

“Have your way as you wish; you are under my protection.”

فَكانَ تَحَكُّماً لا وِزرَ فيهِ

فَكانَ تَحَكُّماً لا وِزرَ فيهِ

أَيَكتُبُهُ عَلَيَّ الكاتِبانِ

أَيَكتُبُهُ عَلَيَّ الكاتِبانِ

So our taking command bore no burden of sin—

So I had my way, with no sin in it;

would the two Recording Angels write it against me?

would the two scribes record it against me?

أَديرا الراحَ وَيحَكُما سُلافاً

أَديرا الراحَ وَيحَكُما سُلافاً

فَإِن دارَت عَلَيَّ فَعاطِياني

فَإِن دارَت عَلَيَّ فَعاطِياني

Pass round the wine—bless you both—a choice vintage;

Pass round the wine, you two—mercy on you both—the purest vintage;

and when it comes my way, then serve it to me.”

and if it comes round to me, you two, offer it to me.