قمrise فاسقنيthen give me drink ياO فتنةenchantment الزمنthe age
قم فاسقني يا فتنة الزمن
صهباءtawny wine تكسرbreaks شوكةsting الحزنsorrow
صهباء تكسر شوكة الحزن
Rise and give me drink, O enchantment of the age,
Rise and quench my thirst, oh temptation of time,
tawny wine that breaks sorrow’s sting.
A blond that breaks the thorn of sadness.
امديرهاO you who pour it منfrom مقلتيهhis two eyes طلاًwine
امديرها من مقلتيه طلاً
ممزوجةblended بالكحلwith kohl والوسنand drowsiness
ممزوجة بالكحل والوسن
O one who pours it as wine from his two eyes,
Direct her eyelids towards me, wet
blended with kohl and drowsiness.
With kohl and charm.
انif غبتyou are absent عنfrom ليليmy night وعنand from سمريmy late-night talk
ان غبت عن ليلي وعن سمري
فلأنتthen surely you فيin سريmy private life وفيand in علنيmy public life
فلأنت في سري وفي علني
If you are absent from my night and my late-night talk,
If I am absent from my Laila and my Samaar,
still you are surely in my private and my public life.
It is because you are in my secret and in my frankness.
امعلمO teacher of الخطيthe Khatti spear هزتهits swaying
امعلم الخطي هزته
انif هزّhe sways قداًa figure منهof his كاليزنيlike a Yazani spear
ان هزّ قداً منه كاليزني
O one who teaches the Khatti spear its swaying,
Oh my writing teacher, I shook its firmness,
when he sways his figure like a Yazani spear.
As if I shook a branch of it like a palm tree.
قمرa moon بداappeared يمشيwalks بهwith it غصنa bough
قمر بدا يمشي به غصن
ياO منwho رأىhas seen قمراa moon علىupon غصنa bough
يا من رأى قمرا على غصن
A moon appeared, borne along by a bough:
A moon appeared walking with a branch,
O, who has seen a moon upon a bough?
Oh you who saw a moon on a branch.
ليfor me سنةa rule of conduct هيit is فيكconcerning you واحدةone
لي سنة هي فيك واحدة
واراكand I see you فيَّconcerning me قضيتyou have judged فيby سننrules of conduct
واراك فيَّ قضيت في سنن
I have but one rule concerning you,
I have a year that is one day in you,
yet I see you have judged me by many rules.
And I see you in me, so I spent years.
فاستبقِso preserve ليfor me روحاًa soul معذبةtormented
فاستبقِ لي روحاً معذبة
فلأنتfor surely you تلكthat الروحthe soul فيin البدنthe body
فلأنت تلك الروح في البدن
So keep a tormented soul alive for me,
So get for me a tortured soul,
for you are surely that soul within the body.
For you are that soul in the body.
اناI am درَّةa pearl غاليbid high التجارthe merchants بهاfor it
انا درَّة غالي التجار بها
ارخصتنيyou cheapened me ياO غاليَcostly الثمنthe price
ارخصتني يا غاليَ الثمن
I am a pearl for which merchants bid high;
I am a precious pearl, traders bid high for me,
you have cheapened me, O you of high price.
You made me cheap, oh you the highest bid!
قلبيmy heart لديكin your keeping اليومtoday مرتهنheld in pledge
قلبي لديك اليوم مرتهن
ياO منwho لقلبfor a heart فيكin you مرتهنheld in pledge
يا من لقلب فيك مرتهن
My heart is held in pledge with you today:
My heart today is hostage to you,
O, who will aid a heart pledged to you?
Oh you whose heart is hostage in me.
ياO قائديmy leader طوعاًwillingly بلاwithout رسنa halter
يا قائدي طوعاً بلا رسن
ماwhat ضرّharm would it do لواطلقتif you released me منfrom رسنيmy halter
ما ضرّ لواطلقت من رسني
O my leader, whom I willingly follow without a halter,
Oh my leader, willingly without a bridle,
what harm would it do if you freed me from my halter?
No harm if you release me from my bridle.
رامٍan archer رمانيshot me وهوwhile he فيbehind جننshields
رامٍ رماني وهو في جنن
حتىuntil اصبنthey struck مقاتليmy vital spots جننيmy shields
حتى اصبن مقاتلي جنني
An archer shot me while he was behind shields,
Aiming, he threw me while in madness,
until my own shields struck my vital spots.
Until I make my fighter share my madness.
ماnot إنemphasis on negation رأتsaw عينايmy two eyes أوor سمعتheard
ما إن رأت عيناي أو سمعت
اذنايmy two ears أذكىcleverer منهthan him فيin الزمنtime
اذناي أذكى منه في الزمن
Never have my eyes seen, nor have
No eye has seen me, no ear has heard
my ears heard, anyone cleverer than him in all time.
Anything more vivid than me in time.