جَاءَتْ فَأَكْبَرَهَا طَرْفِي فَقُمْتُ لَهَا

جَاءَتْ فَأَكْبَرَهَا طَرْفِي فَقُمْتُ لَهَا

وَقَدْ يَقُومُ لأَتْبَاعِي مَوَالِيْهَا

وَقَدْ يَقُومُ لأَتْبَاعِي مَوَالِيْهَا

She came; my gaze was awed by her, so I rose for her,

She came and my eyes were captivated, so I stood for her

Though her masters might rise for my followers.

Though my followers may stand for her followers

ثُمَّ اسْتَهَلَّتْ فَغَنَّتْ وَهْيَ مُحْسِنَةٌ

ثُمَّ اسْتَهَلَّتْ فَغَنَّتْ وَهْيَ مُحْسِنَةٌ

فِي بَعْضِ أَبْيَاتِ شِعْرٍ قُلْتُهُ فِيْهَا

فِي بَعْضِ أَبْيَاتِ شِعْرٍ قُلْتُهُ فِيْهَا

Then she raised her voice and skillfully sang

Then she started singing, excellently performing

Some verses of poetry I had composed about her.

Some verses of poetry I had composed for her

فَأَحْسَنَتْ وَأَصَابَتْ فِي صِنَاعَتِهَا

فَأَحْسَنَتْ وَأَصَابَتْ فِي صِنَاعَتِهَا

وَمَا أَخَلَّتْ بِشَيءٍ مِنْ مَعَانِيْهَا

وَمَا أَخَلَّتْ بِشَيءٍ مِنْ مَعَانِيْهَا

She excelled and was unerring in her art,

She sang well and aptly showcased her artistry

And omitted none of their meanings.

Missing nothing of their meanings

وَلَمْ أَزَلْ دُونَ نَدْمَانِيَّ مُقْتَرِحَاً

وَلَمْ أَزَلْ دُونَ نَدْمَانِيَّ مُقْتَرِحَاً

شِعْرِي عَلَيْهَا تُغَنِّيْنِي وَأَسْقِيْهَا

شِعْرِي عَلَيْهَا تُغَنِّيْنِي وَأَسْقِيْهَا

And I alone among my drinking companions kept requesting

I kept suggesting to her, in my remorse,

That she sing my verses; she sang to me, and I gave her drink.

That she sing my poems and I quench her thirst

حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ عُيُونَ الشَّرْبِ تَلْحَظُنِي

حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ عُيُونَ الشَّرْبِ تَلْحَظُنِي

لَحْظَ الحَسُودِ فَلَمْ أَحْفِلْ بِهِمْ تِيْهَا

لَحْظَ الحَسُودِ فَلَمْ أَحْفِلْ بِهِمْ تِيْهَا

Until I saw the drinkers' eyes watching me

Until I saw eyes of jealousy gazing at me

With an envious gaze; in my pride, I paid them no heed.

With the envy of the envious, but I paid them no heed

هِيَ الشَّبِيْبَةُ تُطْرِيْنِيَ وَتَشْفَعُ لِي

هِيَ الشَّبِيْبَةُ تُطْرِيْنِيَ وَتَشْفَعُ لِي

عِنْدَ الفَتَاةِ فَتُرْضِيْنِي وَأُرْضِيْهَا

عِنْدَ الفَتَاةِ فَتُرْضِيْنِي وَأُرْضِيْهَا

It is youth that extols me and intercedes for me

It is youth that charms me and intercedes for me

With the young woman, so she pleases me and I please her.

With the maiden, satisfying me and her

تَهْوَى مُنَاجَاتُهَا نَفْسِي وَيُقْنِعُهَا

تَهْوَى مُنَاجَاتُهَا نَفْسِي وَيُقْنِعُهَا

بَعْضُ العِنَاقِ وَبَعْضُ اللَّثْمِ يَكْفِيْهَا

بَعْضُ العِنَاقِ وَبَعْضُ اللَّثْمِ يَكْفِيْهَا

My soul loves intimate talk with her, and is content with

Her intimate conversation captivates my soul, and appeases her

A little embracing, and a little kissing is enough for it.

Some embracing and some kissing suffices her

وَلاَ أَهْمُّ بِشَيءٍ غَيْرَ ذَاكَ بَلَى

وَلاَ أَهْمُّ بِشَيءٍ غَيْرَ ذَاكَ بَلَى

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ مَصُّ الرِّيْقِ مِنْ فِيْهَا

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ مَصُّ الرِّيْقِ مِنْ فِيْهَا

And I think of nothing beyond that—oh, yes:

I care for nothing else, but I seek God's forgiveness

I ask God's forgiveness—sucking the saliva from her mouth.

For tasting the saliva from her mouth

غُصْنِي نَضِيْرٌ وَأَخْلاَقِي مُحَبَّبَةٌ

غُصْنِي نَضِيْرٌ وَأَخْلاَقِي مُحَبَّبَةٌ

إِلَى القِيَانِ رَقِيْقَاتٌ حَوَاشِيْهَا

إِلَى القِيَانِ رَقِيْقَاتٌ حَوَاشِيْهَا

My branch is verdant, and my manners are dear

My branch is verdant, and my manners are beloved

To the slave singers, gentle at their edges.

By the slender bendable ones, and their edges

كَمْ مِنْ حَدِيْثٍ قَصِيْرٍ لِي أَصِيْدُ بِهِ

كَمْ مِنْ حَدِيْثٍ قَصِيْرٍ لِي أَصِيْدُ بِهِ

قَلْبَ الفَتَاةِ وَأَشْعَارٍ أُسَدِّيْهَا

قَلْبَ الفَتَاةِ وَأَشْعَارٍ أُسَدِّيْهَا

How many a brief remark of mine I use to ensnare

How many short tales I have to catch with them

A young woman's heart—and how many poems I weave!

The heart of the maiden, and poems I recite to her

تَوَدُّ كُلُّ فَتَاةٍ حِيْنَ تَسْمَعُهَا

تَوَدُّ كُلُّ فَتَاةٍ حِيْنَ تَسْمَعُهَا

أَنِّي بِهَا دُوْنَ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ أَعْنِيْهَا

أَنِّي بِهَا دُوْنَ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ أَعْنِيْهَا

Every young woman wishes, when she hears them,

Every maiden desires, when she hears them,

That in them I mean her alone among all God's creatures.

That I mean her alone, apart from God's creation

فَكَيْفَ أَخْشَى صُدُودَ الغَانِيَاتِ وَقَدْ

فَكَيْفَ أَخْشَى صُدُودَ الغَانِيَاتِ وَقَدْ

أَخَذْتُ عَهْدَ أَمَانٍ مِنْ تَجَنِّيْهَا

أَخَذْتُ عَهْدَ أَمَانٍ مِنْ تَجَنِّيْهَا

How then should I fear the beauties' rejection, when

So how can I fear the rejection of singers, when

I have secured a pledge of safety against their unfair reproaches?

I have taken a promise of safety from seducing her