هوى الحسان الكواعب

هوى الحسان الكواعب

مفتاح كنز المطالب

مفتاح كنز المطالب

Love of the full-breasted beauties

The beautiful maidens are the key to attaining desires,

Is the key to the treasure of desires;

And love is the noblest path,

والحب أسنى المذاهب

والحب أسنى المذاهب

إلى عليِّ المراتب

إلى عليِّ المراتب

And love is the loftiest of paths

To reach the highest stations.

To exalted ranks

And to obtain every wish-

ونيل كل المآرب

ونيل كل المآرب

من لم يذق بالتصابي

من لم يذق بالتصابي

And the attainment of every aim.

Those who have not tasted the sweetness of affection's wine,

Whoever has not tasted, in youthful dalliance,

Remain veiled from the beauty of the lovely gazelles.

لذيذ كأس الشراب

لذيذ كأس الشراب

فهو الّذي في حجاب

فهو الّذي في حجاب

The delight of the wine-cup,

We who have drank the pure wine of passion-

Is the one behind a veil

Are enraptured by the scene wherein we became intoxicated,

عن حسن غيد الربائب

عن حسن غيد الربائب

الكاعبات الترائب

الكاعبات الترائب

From the beauty of graceful, cherished maidens,

While the beloved of love was absent,

Their bosoms full and rounded.

And the star of the universe was setting.

نحن الّذي شربنا

نحن الّذي شربنا

صافي الهوى فطربنا

صافي الهوى فطربنا

We are those who drank

Salma and Labana say in words alluding to meaning-

The pure draught of love and were enraptured,

Our eyes have become accustomed to beauty,

بمشهدٍ فيه غبنا

بمشهدٍ فيه غبنا

وشاهد الحبّ غائب

وشاهد الحبّ غائب

In a vision in which we lost ourselves;

Adorned but with an eyebrow.

And the witness of love is absent,

From it we saw wonders,

وكوكب الكون غارب

وكوكب الكون غارب

تقول سلمى ولبنى

تقول سلمى ولبنى

And the star of existence is setting.

So roam with it and then sing,

You say “Salma and Lubna”—

And narrate to the youth about me.

لفظاً يشير لمعنى

لفظاً يشير لمعنى

أمسى إلى الحسن عينا

أمسى إلى الحسن عينا

An utterance that points to a meaning

The path of love has made me an artist,

That became an eye turned toward beauty,

My mind has been lost through it,

زينت ولكن بحاجب

زينت ولكن بحاجب

منه رأينا العجائب

منه رأينا العجائب

Adorned, yet with an eyebrow;

And the heart's duty has been neglected.

From it we beheld wonders.

Gifts are only from the one who drew near and humbled himself

فاشطح به ثمّ غنِّي

فاشطح به ثمّ غنِّي

وارو الصبابة عنّي

وارو الصبابة عنّي

So speak ecstatically of it, then sing;

To his Master, prayers be upon him,

And recount my ardent longing;

And the best of pure lineages,

فمذهب الحبّ فنّي

فمذهب الحبّ فنّي

عقلي بها بات ذاهب

عقلي بها بات ذاهب

For the way of love is my art;

And the companions, people of virtues.

Through it, my reason has departed,

وواجب القلب سالب

وواجب القلب سالب

وما المواهب إلّا

وما المواهب إلّا

And the heart's obligation is a ravisher.

And gifts come only

ممّن دنا فتدلّى

ممّن دنا فتدلّى

عليه مولاه صلّى

عليه مولاه صلّى

From him who drew near, then descended;

His Lord bestowed blessings upon him,

مع خير آلٍ أطايب

مع خير آلٍ أطايب

والصحب أهل المناقب

والصحب أهل المناقب

Together with the finest, purest family,

And the companions, possessors of noble virtues.