1. فَاح زهرُ الرّوضِ فَاشتَاق الهَزار

    ولِذَا قَد نَاح

    The garden's blossoms breathed fragrance, so the nightingale yearned,

    And for this it lamented,

  2. حَول وردٍ وشَقِيقٍ وبَهَار

    سَوسنٌ أقَاح

    Around roses, anemones, and yellow oxeyes,

    Irises, daisies.

  3. وغُصُونُ البَانِ مَاسَت طَربَا

    ونَمَا الإِشراق

    And the ben-tree branches swayed for joy,

    And the radiance grew.

  4. ولَيَالي الطَّلّ وشَّت عَجَبَا

    حُلَلَ الأوراق

    And dewy nights wondrously embroidered

    The robes of the leaves.

  5. وعَبِيقُ الزّهرِ مَع نَشرِ الصَّبَا

    هَيَّج الأشواق

    And the flowers' perfume, with the east breeze's fragrance,

    Stirred up longing.

  6. وبَكَى المُزن بِسُحبٍ فَاستَنَار

    جَدولُ الآقَاح

    And the rain clouds wept in cloudbanks; then shone

    The stream among the daisies.

  7. فَحَسِبتُ البَرق إذ ذاك سِوَار

    غَادةٍ إذ لاح

    So I took the lightning then for a bracelet

    Of a graceful maiden, as it flashed.

  8. يَا نَدِيميِي قَد شَذا زهرُ الرّبيعِ

    وشَدا المِنيَار

    O my boon companion, spring's blossoms have grown fragrant,

    And the minyār sang.

  9. ورنَا النَّرجَسُ بِاللَّحظِ البَدِيعِ

    وجَرت أنهَار

    And the narcissus gazed with a wondrous glance,

    And rivers flowed.

  10. وبِحُسنِ البِشر إذ عَمّ الجَمِيع

    غَرّدت أطيَار

    And as lovely cheer spread to everyone,

    Birds trilled.

  11. فَاجتَنِ اللَّذاتِ واخلَعِ العِذار

    وامل لِي الأقداح

    So pluck delights and cast off the bridle,

    And fill the cups for me,

  12. وأدرِهَا كَشُعَاعِ الجُلَّنَار

    تَجلِبُ الأفراح

    And pass them round, like the glow of pomegranate blossoms,

    Bringing joys:

  13. قَهوةً تُجلِي الأسَى عَن مُبتَلَى

    بِجَفَا الأحبَاب

    Wine that drives sorrow from one afflicted

    By the coldness of loved ones.

  14. نَشرُهَا كَالمِسكِ عِند الإِجتِلا

    تَسلُبُ الألبَاب

    Its bouquet is like musk when unveiled;

    It steals the senses.

  15. أخجَلَت شَمساً وبَدراً وطُلا

    مِن عَقِيقٍ ذاب

    It shamed the sun, the full moon, and a glaze

    Of molten carnelian,

  16. مِن يَدي ظَبيٍ غَرِيرٍ ذِي نِفَار

    مُنعِشِ الأرواح

    From the hands of a guileless, skittish gazelle,

    A reviver of souls,

  17. نَاحِلِ الخِصرِ كَحِيلٍ بِاحوِرار

    طَرفُهُ الجَرّاح

    Slender-waisted, kohl-dark-eyed with brilliant whites,

    His gaze a wounder.

  18. فَرحِيقُ الأُنسِ يُهدِيهِ رشاً

    عَأطِرُ الأنفَاس

    So a fawn offers the nectar of conviviality,

    Fragrant of breath,

  19. اَيِّنُ العِطفِ بَدِيعٌ قَد نَشَا

    فِتنَةً لِلنَّاسِ

    Supple of flank, exquisite, who has grown

    Into a temptation for all.

  20. جَرح القَلب بِلَحظٍ والحَشَا

    إن رنَا أو مَاس

    He wounded heart and breast with a glance,

    Whenever he gazed or swayed.

  21. قَمَرٌ لَيلاً وشَمسٌ بِالنَّهَار

    حُسنُهُ الوضَّاح

    A moon by night, a sun by day—

    Such is his radiant beauty.

  22. فِي خِلالِ الرّوضِ غَازلتُ غَزال

    وصلُهُ مَحظُور

    Amid the garden I courted a gazelle,

    Union with him forbidden.

  23. قَد حَوى سِحراً وتَيهاً ودلال

    بِالبَهَا مَسرُور

    He possessed enchantment, haughtiness, and coquetry,

    Delighting in his beauty.

  24. يُخجِلُ البَدر سَنَاهُ في الكَمَال

    وكَذاك الحُور

    His perfect radiance shames the full moon,

    And likewise the houris.

  25. صِحتُ مِن شَوقي وما عندي اصطبار

    بُلبُلَ الأفراح

    I cried out in longing, with no patience left:

    O nightingale of joys,

  26. مَا تَرى في شَائِقٍ يَبغِي المَزار

    يَاغِذا الأرواح

    What think you of one who longs and seeks a visit,

    O nourishment of souls?

  27. قَال لِي ادنُ تَمَلّ فِي الخَفَرِ

    يَا أخَا الأشواق

    He said to me: Come near, gaze your fill upon modest beauty,

    O brother of longing.

  28. في بَهَا اسٍ ونِسرِين زهَر

    نَزّهِ الأحداق

    In the beauty of myrtle and wild roses in bloom,

    Delight your eyes.

  29. وشَدا الطَّيرُ وشَادٍ بالوتَر

    فِي طَبعِ العِراق

    And the birds sang, and a minstrel to the strings,

    In the ʿIrāq mode.

  30. وقِبَاب الماءِ تَجرِي بِانحِدار

    في الثَّرى قَد سَاح

    And domes of water streamed downward,

    Spreading across the soil,

  31. فَسَقَا ورداً وخَيرِي وبَهَار

    وكَذا التُّفَّاح

    Watering roses, wallflowers, and yellow oxeyes,

    And apple trees as well.

  32. وهَجَعنَا تَحت غُصنٍ في الغَلَس

    حَولَنَا الرّيحَان

    And we slept beneath a branch in the predawn dark,

    Sweet basil all around us.

  33. غَرّد الطَّيرُ فَنَبَّه مَن نَعَس

    فَوق غُصنِ البَان

    The birds trilled and woke whoever dozed,

    From a ben-tree branch.

  34. وَسَقَاهَا عَنبرية النَّفَس

    تُذهِبُ الأحزان

    And he served it, its breath fragrant with ambergris,

    Dispelling sorrows.

  35. بَينَما نَحنُ نَشَاوى بِالعُقَار

    نَغنِمُ الأفراح

    While we were drunk on wine,

    Reaping joys,

  36. إذ دعَانَا السَّاق والفَجر استَنَار

    اصطَبِح يَا صاح

    Then the cupbearer called us as dawn grew bright:

    Take your morning draught, my friend!