أَديرا عَليَّ الراحَ لا تَشرَبا قَبلي

أَديرا عَليَّ الراحَ لا تَشرَبا قَبلي

وَلا تَطلُبا مِن عِندِ قاتِلَتي ذَحلي

وَلا تَطلُبا مِن عِندِ قاتِلَتي ذَحلي

Pass the wine round to me, you two; do not drink before me.

Turn away from me, O breeze, and do not drink before me,

Nor seek vengeance for me from my slayer.

And do not seek from my killer any consolation for me,

فَما حَزَني أَنّي أَموتُ صَبابَةً

فَما حَزَني أَنّي أَموتُ صَبابَةً

وَلَكِن عَلى مَن لا يَحِلُّ لَهُ قَتلي

وَلَكِن عَلى مَن لا يَحِلُّ لَهُ قَتلي

For my sorrow is not that I die of longing,

It does not grieve me that I die young,

But that I die for one who has no right to kill me.

But that my death comes from one unworthy to kill me.

أُحِبُّ الَّتي صَدَّت وَقالَت لِتُربِها

أُحِبُّ الَّتي صَدَّت وَقالَت لِتُربِها

دَعيهِ الثُرَيّا مِنهُ أَقرَبُ مِن وَصلي

دَعيهِ الثُرَيّا مِنهُ أَقرَبُ مِن وَصلي

I love the woman who turned away and told her companion:

I love she who turned me away and said to her friends,

“Leave him: the Pleiades are nearer to him than union with me.”

"Leave him be, he is close in lineage to generosity."

أَماتَت وَأَحيَت مُهجَتي فَهيَ عِندَها

أَماتَت وَأَحيَت مُهجَتي فَهيَ عِندَها

مُعَلَّقَةٌ بَينَ المَواعيدِ وَالمُطلِ

مُعَلَّقَةٌ بَينَ المَواعيدِ وَالمُطلِ

She killed and revived my soul; with her it remains

She who revived and killed my love, it is with her

Suspended between promises and delay.

Suspended between promises and separation.

وَما نِلتُ مِنها نائِلاً غَيرَ أَنَّني

وَما نِلتُ مِنها نائِلاً غَيرَ أَنَّني

بِشَجوِ المُحِبّينَ الأُلى سَلَفوا قَبلي

بِشَجوِ المُحِبّينَ الأُلى سَلَفوا قَبلي

And I gained no favor from her, save that I am

I gained nothing from her but to join

Afflicted with the sorrow of lovers who went before me.

The wretched lovers who came before me.

بَلى رُبَّما وَكَّلتُ عَيني بِنَظرَةٍ

بَلى رُبَّما وَكَّلتُ عَيني بِنَظرَةٍ

إِلَيها تَزيدُ القَلبَ خَبلاً عَلى خَبلِ

إِلَيها تَزيدُ القَلبَ خَبلاً عَلى خَبلِ

Yes, sometimes I charged my eye with a glance

Yes, perhaps I set my eyes to glance at her

Toward her, adding madness upon madness to the heart.

Increasing the heart’s confusion upon confusion.

كَتَمتُ تَباريحَ الصَبابَةِ عاذِلي

كَتَمتُ تَباريحَ الصَبابَةِ عاذِلي

فَلَم يَدرِ ما بي فَاِستَرَحتُ مِنَ العَذلِ

فَلَم يَدرِ ما بي فَاِستَرَحتُ مِنَ العَذلِ

I hid the torments of longing from my reproacher;

I hid my youthful complexion slighting my beauty

So he did not know what ailed me, and I found relief from reproach.

So it did not know my state and I was relieved of blame.

وَمانِحَةٍ شُرّابَها المُلكَ قَهوَةٍ

وَمانِحَةٍ شُرّابَها المُلكَ قَهوَةٍ

مَجوسِيَّةِ الأَنسابِ مُسلِمَةِ البَعلِ

مَجوسِيَّةِ الأَنسابِ مُسلِمَةِ البَعلِ

And a wine that grants her drinkers kingship,

A coffee-pourer whose king drinks from her hands,

Of Magian lineage, with a Muslim husband,

Magian in ancestry, Muslim in husband,

رَبيبَةِ شَمسٍ لَم تُهَجنَ عُروقُها

رَبيبَةِ شَمسٍ لَم تُهَجنَ عُروقُها

بِنارٍ وَلَم يُقطَع لَها سَعفُ النَخلِ

بِنارٍ وَلَم يُقطَع لَها سَعفُ النَخلِ

A nursling of the sun, whose roots were not tainted

A radiant sun whose roots were not burnt

By fire; nor were palm fronds cut for her.

By fire, nor any frond cut from her palms,

تَصُدُّ بِنَفسِ المَرءِ عَمّا يَغُمُّهُ

تَصُدُّ بِنَفسِ المَرءِ عَمّا يَغُمُّهُ

وَتُنطِقُ بِالمَعروفِ أَلسِنَةَ البُخلِ

وَتُنطِقُ بِالمَعروفِ أَلسِنَةَ البُخلِ

She turns a man's soul away from what grieves him,

She wards off the grief of men, and makes

And makes the tongues of miserliness speak of generosity.

The tongues of the miserly speak good,

قَدِ اِستُودِعَت دَنّاً لَها فَهوَ قائِمٌ

قَدِ اِستُودِعَت دَنّاً لَها فَهوَ قائِمٌ

بِها شَفَقاً بَينَ الكُرومِ عَلى رِجلِ

بِها شَفَقاً بَينَ الكُرومِ عَلى رِجلِ

She has been entrusted to her jar, and it stands

She was entrusted with wealth so he stands guard

Caring anxiously for her among the vines, upon one leg.

Over her between vineyards on sturdy legs.

بَعَثنا لَها مِنّاً خَطيباً لِبُضعِها

بَعَثنا لَها مِنّاً خَطيباً لِبُضعِها

فَجاءَ بِها يَمشي العِرضَنَة في مَهلِ

فَجاءَ بِها يَمشي العِرضَنَة في مَهلِ

We sent her a mina as a suitor for her hand,

We sent to her a suitor for her hand

Then he brought her, swaggering at a leisurely pace.

Who brought her walking leisurely and unhurried,

رَقى رَبَّها حَتّى اِحتَواها مُغالِياً

رَقى رَبَّها حَتّى اِحتَواها مُغالِياً

عَقيلَتَهُ دونَ الأَقارِبِ وَالأَهلِ

عَقيلَتَهُ دونَ الأَقارِبِ وَالأَهلِ

He charmed her master until he won her, bidding high

Her Lord ascended until He contained her exclusively,

For his treasured lady, to the exclusion of relatives and family.

Above kin and family.

فَوافى بِها عَذراءَ كُلَّ فَتى نَدَىً

فَوافى بِها عَذراءَ كُلَّ فَتى نَدَىً

جَزيلَ العَطايا غَيرَ نِكسٍ وَلا وَغلِ

جَزيلَ العَطايا غَيرَ نِكسٍ وَلا وَغلِ

Then he brought her, a virgin, to every generous young man,

So she came to every youth a virgin of generous gifts

Lavish with gifts, neither a weakling nor a gate-crasher.

Neither destitute nor stingy nor deceitful,

مُعَتَّقَةً لا تَشتَكي وَطءَ عاصِرٍ

مُعَتَّقَةً لا تَشتَكي وَطءَ عاصِرٍ

حَرورِيَّةً في جَوفِها دَمُها يَغلي

حَرورِيَّةً في جَوفِها دَمُها يَغلي

Well-aged, she does not complain of a presser's tread,

Freed, never complaining of being confined,

A Harurite, her blood boiling within her belly.

Passionate, her blood boiling inside her,

أَغارَت عَلى كَفِّ المُديرِ بِلَونِها

أَغارَت عَلى كَفِّ المُديرِ بِلَونِها

فَصاغَت لَهُ مِنها أَنامِلَ كالذَّبلِ

فَصاغَت لَهُ مِنها أَنامِلَ كالذَّبلِ

She raided the cupbearer's palm with her color,

She envied the cupbearer for his complexion

And fashioned him fingers of herself, like tortoiseshell.

And molded for him from it slender fingers like dry twigs

أَماتَت نُفوساً مِن حَياةٍ قَريبَةٍ

أَماتَت نُفوساً مِن حَياةٍ قَريبَةٍ

وَفاتَت فَلَم تُطلَب بِتَبلٍ وَلا ذَحلِ

وَفاتَت فَلَم تُطلَب بِتَبلٍ وَلا ذَحلِ

She slew souls only lately alive,

She killed souls nearing life, and they were lost

And escaped, unpursued for feud or vengeance.

Without ransoms or entreaties offered for them,

شَقَقنا لَها في الدَّنِ عَيناً فَأَسبَلَت

شَقَقنا لَها في الدَّنِ عَيناً فَأَسبَلَت

كَما أَسبَلَت عَينُ الخَريدِ بِلا كُحلِ

كَما أَسبَلَت عَينُ الخَريدِ بِلا كُحلِ

We opened an eye for her in the jar, and she shed tears,

We split open a spring for her in the valley, so it flowed

As a shy maiden's eye sheds tears, without kohl.

Freely like the eye of Kharid without kohl,

كَأَنَّ حَبابَ الماءِ حينَ يَشُجُّها

كَأَنَّ حَبابَ الماءِ حينَ يَشُجُّها

لَآلِئُ عِقدٍ في دَماليجَ أَو حِجلِ

لَآلِئُ عِقدٍ في دَماليجَ أَو حِجلِ

As though the water's bubbles, when it cleaves her,

As if the drops of water were pearls of a necklace

Were necklace pearls set in armlets or an anklet.

In bracelets or anklets when she disturbed it,

كَأَنَّ فَنيقاً بازِلاً شُكَّ نَحرُهُ

كَأَنَّ فَنيقاً بازِلاً شُكَّ نَحرُهُ

إِذا ما اِستَدَرَّت كَالشُعاعِ عَلى البَزلِ

إِذا ما اِستَدَرَّت كَالشُعاعِ عَلى البَزلِ

As though a full-grown stud camel's throat were pierced,

As if a tender, slender oryx, whose neck rings

When she gushes like a ray of light at the tapping-hole.

Were turned, like rays glancing off ivory,

كَأَنَّ ظِباءً عُكَّفاً في رِياضِها

كَأَنَّ ظِباءً عُكَّفاً في رِياضِها

أَباريقُها أَوجَسنَ قَعقَعَةَ النَبلِ

أَباريقُها أَوجَسنَ قَعقَعَةَ النَبلِ

As though gazelles resting in their meadows

As if a gazelle gathered in her meadows

Were her pitchers, startled by the rattle of arrows.

And her vessels clinked with the tinkling of anklets,

ظَلِلنا نُناغي الخُلدَ في مَشرَعِ الصِبا

ظَلِلنا نُناغي الخُلدَ في مَشرَعِ الصِبا

عَلَينا سَماءُ العَيشِ دائِمَةُ الهَطلِ

عَلَينا سَماءُ العَيشِ دائِمَةُ الهَطلِ

We spent the day cooing to eternity at youth's watering-place,

We took shade to enjoy eternity in the yard of youth

Above us, life's sky rained without ceasing.

Above us, the sky of life ever raining,

وَدارَت عَلَينا الكَأسُ مِن كَفِّ طَفلَةٍ

وَدارَت عَلَينا الكَأسُ مِن كَفِّ طَفلَةٍ

مُبتَلَّةٍ حَوراءَ كَالرَشَءِ الطَّفلِ

مُبتَلَّةٍ حَوراءَ كَالرَشَءِ الطَّفلِ

And the cup passed round among us from a delicate maiden's hand,

And the cup circulated among us from the hand of a maiden

Well-formed, dark-eyed, like a tender fawn.

Pure, graceful like the soft calf,

وَحَنَّ لَنا عودٌ فَباحَ بِسِرِّنا

وَحَنَّ لَنا عودٌ فَباحَ بِسِرِّنا

كَأَنَّ عَلَيهِ ساقَ جارِيَةٍ عُطلِ

كَأَنَّ عَلَيهِ ساقَ جارِيَةٍ عُطلِ

And a lute moaned for us, then revealed our secret,

And the lute sang to us as if it related

As though an unadorned maiden's leg lay upon it.

The laments of bereaved women weeping for their lost ones,

تُضاحِكُهُ طَوراً وَتُبكيهِ تارَةً

تُضاحِكُهُ طَوراً وَتُبكيهِ تارَةً

خَدَلَّجَةٌ هَيفاءُ ذاتُ شَوىً عَبلِ

خَدَلَّجَةٌ هَيفاءُ ذاتُ شَوىً عَبلِ

She makes it laugh one moment, and makes it weep another—

One moment laughing at it, another crying,

A plump, slender-waisted woman with ample limbs.

A coquette, slender, of even teeth, twisted locks,

إِذا ما اِشتَهَينا الأُقحُوانَ تَبَسَّمَت

إِذا ما اِشتَهَينا الأُقحُوانَ تَبَسَّمَت

لَنا عَن ثَنايا لا قِصارٍ وَلا ثُعلِ

لَنا عَن ثَنايا لا قِصارٍ وَلا ثُعلِ

Whenever we desired daisies, she smiled

When we desired wine, she smiled at us

At us, revealing front teeth neither short nor crowded.

From lips neither short nor thick,

وَأَسعَدَها المِزمارُ يَشدو كَأَنَّهُ

وَأَسعَدَها المِزمارُ يَشدو كَأَنَّهُ

حَكى نائِحاتٍ بِتنَ يَبكينَ مِن ثُكَلِ

حَكى نائِحاتٍ بِتنَ يَبكينَ مِن ثُكَلِ

And the flute aided her, singing as though it

And the flute made happiest the one who wept

Imitated mourning women who spent the night weeping for lost children.

As if telling of a bereaved woman wailing her loss,

غَدَونا عَلى اللَذّاتِ نَجني ثِمارَها

غَدَونا عَلى اللَذّاتِ نَجني ثِمارَها

وَرُحنا حَميدي العَيشِ مُتَّفِقي الشَكلِ

وَرُحنا حَميدي العَيشِ مُتَّفِقي الشَكلِ

We went at dawn to pleasures, gathering their fruits,

We went at daybreak to gather its fruits,

And returned happy in life and alike in disposition.

And we lived, praiseworthy lives, similar in appearance,

أَقامَت لَنا الصَهباءُ صَدرَ قَناتِها

أَقامَت لَنا الصَهباءُ صَدرَ قَناتِها

وَمالَت عَلَينا بِالخَديعَةِ وَالخَتلِ

وَمالَت عَلَينا بِالخَديعَةِ وَالخَتلِ

The tawny wine raised her spearpoint against us,

The blond one offered us her breast sincerely

And bore down upon us with deceit and guile.

And leaned toward us with guile and cunning,

إِذا ما عَلَت مِنّا ذُؤابَةَ شارِبٍ

إِذا ما عَلَت مِنّا ذُؤابَةَ شارِبٍ

تَمَشَّت بِهِ مَشيَ المُقَيَّدِ في الوَحلِ

تَمَشَّت بِهِ مَشيَ المُقَيَّدِ في الوَحلِ

Whenever she rose to the crown of one of us drinkers,

When the craze of a drinker rose in one of us

She walked him along like a fettered man in mud.

She walked with him with the gait of one fettered in mud,

فَلا نَحنُ مِتنا ميتَةَ الدَهرِ بَغتَةً

فَلا نَحنُ مِتنا ميتَةَ الدَهرِ بَغتَةً

وَلا هِيَ عادَت بَعدَ عَلِّ إِلى نَهلِ

وَلا هِيَ عادَت بَعدَ عَلِّ إِلى نَهلِ

Neither did we die time's death in an instant,

Neither did we die suddenly the death of fate,

Nor did she, after a second draught, return to a first.

Nor did she return, after that rising, to the stream,

وَساقِيَةٍ كَالريمِ هَيفاءَ طَفلَةٍ

وَساقِيَةٍ كَالريمِ هَيفاءَ طَفلَةٍ

بَعيدَةِ مَهوى القُرطِ مُفعَمَةِ الحِجلِ

بَعيدَةِ مَهوى القُرطِ مُفعَمَةِ الحِجلِ

And a cupbearer like a white gazelle, slender-waisted and delicate,

And a cupbearer like a gazelle, slender and delicate,

With a long fall for her earring and a well-filled anklet,

Far from the anklet, her bracelets full,

تَنَزُّهُ طَرَفَي في مَحاسِنِ وَجهُها

تَنَزُّهُ طَرَفَي في مَحاسِنِ وَجهُها

إِذا اِحتُثَّتِ الطاساتُ يُغنى عَنِ النُقلِ

إِذا اِحتُثَّتِ الطاساتُ يُغنى عَنِ النُقلِ

My gaze's roaming through the beauties of her face,

Her eyes would wander over the beauty of her face

When the bowls are hurried round, makes sweetmeats needless.

When the bangles were moved, making rouge unnecessary,

سَأَنقادُ لِلَّذاتِ مُتَّبِعَ الصِبا

سَأَنقادُ لِلَّذاتِ مُتَّبِعَ الصِبا

لِأُمضِيَ هَمّي أَو أُصيبَ فَتىً مِثلي

لِأُمضِيَ هَمّي أَو أُصيبَ فَتىً مِثلي

I shall yield to pleasures, following youthful passion,

I will follow the pleasures of youth,

To banish my care or find a young man like myself.

To fulfill my desire, or meet a lad like me.

هَلِ العَيشُ إِلّا أَن أَروحَ مَعَ الصِبا

هَلِ العَيشُ إِلّا أَن أَروحَ مَعَ الصِبا

وَأَغدوا صَريعَ الراحِ وَالأَعيُنِ النُجلى

وَأَغدوا صَريعَ الراحِ وَالأَعيُنِ النُجلى

Is life anything but going at evening with youthful passion,

Is life anything but to wander with youth

And greeting dawn felled by wine and wide eyes?

And become a victim of the breeze and smiling eyes?