اسقنيgive me to drink بنتdaughter الدواليthe vines
اسقني بنت الدوالي
إنهاindeed she is نعمexcellent الدواليthe remedy for me (pun on 'vines')
إنها نعم الدوالي
Give me the daughter of the vines to drink.
Give me a drink, daughter of the buckets,
Indeed, she is an excellent remedy for me.
For they are good buckets,
سقّنيpour me a drink سرgladden (reading uncertain) الفلانيso-and-so
سقّني سر الفلاني
ولاand do not تنسforget ذكthat فلاناso-and-so
ولا تنس ذك فلانا
Pour me a drink; gladden so-and-so,
Give me the secret of so-and-so,
And do not forget that other so-and-so.
And do not forget to mention so-and-so,
إنindeed جسميmy body وجنانيand my heart
إن جسمي وجناني
للملاحto the fair ones عندin the keeping of أماناas a trust
للملاح عند أمانا
Indeed, my body and my heart
For my body and my soul,
Are entrusted to the fair ones.
Are safe with the sailor,
بالعشيّin the evening لوif ترانيyou saw me
بالعشيّ لو تراني
حنwhen نصرّفI give free rein to خنزواناswagger
حن نصرّف خنزوانا
If you could see me in the evening,
If you could see me in the evening,
When I give my swagger free rein,
As we turn the jugs around,
والبدورand the full moons دارتcircled حواليaround me
والبدور دارت حوالي
منof وجوهfaces حسانbeautiful عواليexalted
من وجوه حسان عوالي
With full moons circling around me—
And the houses revolved around,
Faces beautiful and exalted.
With beautiful, noble faces,
لوif يذوقhe tasted منsome of ذاthis الشريباthe little drink
لو يذوق من ذا الشريبا
الخطيبthe preacher توريهit would reveal to him معانmeanings
الخطيب توريه معان
If he tasted some of this little drink—
If he tastes this drink,
The preacher—it would reveal meanings to him,
The preacher will show him meanings,
ويقولand he would say علىin time with الطريباthe merry tune
ويقول على الطريبا
دنdan (rhythmic syllable) دنانdanan (rhythmic syllables) دنdan (rhythmic syllable) دنانdanan (rhythmic syllables)
دن دنان دن دنان
And he would chant to the merry tune:
And say about the good drink,
Dan danan, dan danan.
Din dan din dan,
أوفنيgive me full measure وحدone البسيباthe little cup (uncertain)
أوفني وحد البسيبا
منfrom رضابsweet saliva بنتdaughter الدنانthe wine-jars
من رضاب بنت الدنان
Fill me one little cup [term uncertain],
Satisfy me with some raisins,
With the sweet saliva of the daughter of wine-jars.
From the consent of the daughter of so-and-so,
ذبnow (reading uncertain) نبيعI sell جديدnew وباليand worn-out
ذب نبيع جديد وبالي
وننالand I gain أشماwhatever فيin باليmy mind
وننال أشما في بالي
Now I will sell the new and the worn-out,
We sell new and affliction,
And gain whatever is in my mind.
And get scents in my mind,
منwho ذيis it that يفزعfrightens الكويتبthe little scribe
من ذي يفزع الكويتب
عدnow يفرحhe rejoices فيin ثيابclothes
عد يفرح في ثياب
Who is it that frightens the little scribe?
Who makes the poet anxious,
Now he rejoices in clothes.
After he rejoices in clothes,
وشand how يقومsuffices بهfor him الرويتبthe little stipend
وش يقوم به الرويتب
عنfor تمالحthe delights of لشرابthe drink
عن تمالح لشراب
And how can the little stipend suffice him
And what does the poet do,
For the delights of drink?
About the desire for drink,
ويجدand he finds روحa soul معيتبgently reproachful (uncertain)
ويجد روح معيتب
حينwhen يطولgrows long عنّهaway from him غيابabsence
حين يطول عنّه غياب
And he finds his soul gently reproachful
And finds a soulmate,
When separation from it grows long.
When his absence is prolonged,
وشand how يزولturns away للكاسto the cup مواليa devotee
وش يزول للكاس موالي
إنif شوبis mingled (reading uncertain) سرthe secret المواليof the masters
إن شوب سر الموالي
And how can a devotee of the cup turn away,
And what fades for the cup of wine,
If the masters' secret is mingled in?
If the secret of intimacy fades,
القضيبthe bough بعطفwith a flank مبلولdrenched
القضيب بعطف مبلول
تسكرواintoxicate it (dialectal reading, uncertain) كؤوسcups الأزهارthe flowers
تسكروا كؤوس الأزهار
The bough, its flank drenched,
The rod is with a wet robe,
Is made drunk by the cups of flowers.
They got drunk on cups of flowers,
والغديرand the pool بدرعin armor مصقولpolished
والغدير بدرع مصقول
يلتقفcatches سيوفswords الأنهارthe rivers
يلتقف سيوف الأنهار
And the pool, clad in polished armor,
And the stream in a polished armor,
Catches the swords of the rivers.
Takes the swords of the rivers,
وشمand what يعملcan do حبlove محمولborne
وشم يعمل حب محمول
وأناand I نطلبI ask لfor الأعذارthe excuses
وأنا نطلب ل الأعذار
And what can the love one bears do,
What does intended love do?
While I ask for excuses?
And I ask for excuses,
منwhoever عشقloves بدرthe full moon المعاليhigh honors
من عشق بدر المعالي
إشhow يزولgoes about بشوفwith a gaze عاليhaughty
إش يزول بشوف عالي
Whoever loves the full moon of high honor,
For loving the full moon of glories,
How can he go about with a haughty gaze?
What disappears with seeing it high,
ياO مليحfair one يكفاكenough for you منof التيهhaughtiness
يا مليح يكفاك من التيه
ماnot طلبتI asked غرexcept كتيّبa little letter
ما طلبت غر كتيّب
O fair one, enough of your haughtiness;
Oh beautiful, enough of your misguidance,
I asked only for a little letter.
Everyday you say to me, eh eh,
كلevery يومday تقلyou say ليto me إيهyes إيهyes
كل يوم تقل لي إيه إيه
وبقتand I remained مسكنwretched مريّبdoubtful
وبقت مسكن مريّب
Every day you tell me, 'Yes, yes,'
And my dwelling became uneasy,
And I am left wretched and full of doubt.
May God raise your hand,
خطwriting يدّكyour hand اللّهGod يعلّيهmay He exalt it
خط يدّك اللّه يعلّيه
للهناto happiness يفتحopens بويّبa little door
للهنا يفتح بويّب
Your handwriting—may God exalt it—
To open his door,
Opens a little door to happiness.
You remained full of perfection,
دمتmay you remain بدراa full moon فيin كمالperfection
دمت بدرا في كمال
ساحباtrailing بردthe mantle الجمالof beauty
ساحبا برد الجمال
May you remain a full moon in perfection,
Taking the cold of beauty.
Trailing the mantle of beauty.
Partial English translation: 41 of 42 Arabic lines translated.