سَلامٌ على دير القُصَيْرِ وسَفْحِهِ

سَلامٌ على دير القُصَيْرِ وسَفْحِهِ

فَجَنّاتِ حُلْوَانٍ إلى النّخَلاَتِ

فَجَنّاتِ حُلْوَانٍ إلى النّخَلاَتِ

Peace upon the monastery of al-Qusayr and its slope,

Peace upon Dir Qusair and its slopes,

and then the gardens of Hulwan, as far as the palm trees.

Gardens of sweetness down to palm trees,

منازِلُ كانَتْ لي بِهِنّ مَآرِبُ

منازِلُ كانَتْ لي بِهِنّ مَآرِبُ

وَكُنّ مَوَاخِيرِي ومُنْتَزَهَاتِي

وَكُنّ مَوَاخِيرِي ومُنْتَزَهَاتِي

Abodes where I had desires to fulfill,

Were dwellings of mine, and in them delights,

and they were my taverns and pleasure grounds.

And they were my trysts and my promenades.

إذا جئتُها كانَ الجِيَادُ مَرَاكِبي

إذا جئتُها كانَ الجِيَادُ مَرَاكِبي

ومُنْصَرَفي في السُفْنِ مُنْحَدَرَاتِ

ومُنْصَرَفي في السُفْنِ مُنْحَدَرَاتِ

When I came to them, fine horses were my mounts,

When I came to them, steeds were my mounts,

and my return was in boats heading downstream.

And as I left, ships were my vessels.

فَأَقْنِصُ بالأسْحَارِ وحْشِيَّ عِينِهَا

فَأَقْنِصُ بالأسْحَارِ وحْشِيَّ عِينِهَا

وأعْدُو على الإنسِيِّ في الظلمات

وأعْدُو على الإنسِيِّ في الظلمات

So at dawn I would hunt its wild, large-eyed creatures,

I hunted at dawn the shy-eyed gazelle,

and pounce on the human ones in the darkness.

And raced the human in the darkness.

معي كلُّ بَسَّامٍ أغَرَّ مُسَاعِدٍ

معي كلُّ بَسَّامٍ أغَرَّ مُسَاعِدٍ

على كل ما يَهْوَى النّديمُ مُوَاتِي

على كل ما يَهْوَى النّديمُ مُوَاتِي

With me was every smiling, bright-faced, helpful companion,

With me, every kiss-scarred charmer alluring,

ready to oblige in all a drinking companion desires.

Fulfilling each desire of the boon companion.

وجُرْدٌ كأَعْنَاقٍ الظِّبَاءِ صَوَارِمٌ

وجُرْدٌ كأَعْنَاقٍ الظِّبَاءِ صَوَارِمٌ

تُبَادِرُ في مِضْمَارِهَا القَصَبَاتِ

تُبَادِرُ في مِضْمَارِهَا القَصَبَاتِ

And sleek, spirited steeds, like gazelles' necks,

A troop like the necks of wild cows, swords

racing to the reed stakes on their course.

That vie in their arena with spear-shafts.

وَلُحْمَانٌ مما أمْسَكْتُه كلابُنَا

وَلُحْمَانٌ مما أمْسَكْتُه كلابُنَا

عَلَيْنا ومِمّا صِيْدَ بالشَّبَكَاتِ

عَلَيْنا ومِمّا صِيْدَ بالشَّبَكَاتِ

And meat from what our hounds had caught

Meats that our hounds seized for us

for us, and from what was taken in nets:

And that we hunted in nets.

طَعَامٌ إذا ما شِئْتُ باكَرْتُ طَبْخَهُ

طَعَامٌ إذا ما شِئْتُ باكَرْتُ طَبْخَهُ

على كثرة من غِلْمَتي وطُهَاتي

على كثرة من غِلْمَتي وطُهَاتي

food whose cooking I started early whenever I wished,

Food, if I wished, quickly cooked

with many of my serving boys and cooks.

By many lads and lassies of mine.

وصفْراءُ مثلُ التِّبْرِ يَحُمِل كاسَهَا

وصفْراءُ مثلُ التِّبْرِ يَحُمِل كاسَهَا

شديدُ فُتُورِ الطَّرْفِ واللَّحَظَاتِ

شديدُ فُتُورِ الطَّرْفِ واللَّحَظَاتِ

And golden wine, like raw gold, whose cup was carried

A blonde like ivory carrying her cup,

by one with a deeply languid gaze and glances.

Languid of glance and motions.

كأنّ قَضِيبَ البانِ عند اهتِزَازِهِ

كأنّ قَضِيبَ البانِ عند اهتِزَازِهِ

تَعَلّمَ من أَطْرَافِهِ الحرَكَاتِ

تَعَلّمَ من أَطْرَافِهِ الحرَكَاتِ

As though a ban-tree bough, when swaying,

As if the staff of the wet-nurse in shaking

had learned its movements from his limbs.

Learned movement from its extremities.

هنالِكَ تَصْفُو لي مشارِبُ لَذَّتي

هنالِكَ تَصْفُو لي مشارِبُ لَذَّتي

وتصحَبُ أيامُ السُّرورِ حَيَاتي

وتصحَبُ أيامُ السُّرورِ حَيَاتي

There, the sources of my delight run clear for me,

There my drinks would clarify my pleasures

and days of joy accompany my life.

And days of joy accompany my life.