1. أَفدي غَزال الحِمى

    عَذب اللمى

    I would ransom the gazelle of the sanctuary,

    sweet of dusky lips,

  2. الشَهدي النَدى

    المبدي دَلالا

    whose dew is honey-sweet,

    displaying coquetry,

  3. من لَحظه قَد حَمى

    عَنّي حمى

    whose glance has indeed barred

    the sanctuary from me—

  4. وَردي وِردي

    يردي قتالا

    my rose, my draught—

    slaying me in combat.

  5. غَنّى فَأَغنى فما

    أَحلى فَما

    He sang and enriched—how

    sweet a mouth,

  6. يهدي يندي

    يُبدي جَمالا

    bestowing, shedding dew,

    revealing beauty!

  7. دُرّ حَلا مَبسما

    فيهِ سَما

    Pearls were sweet in a smiling mouth;

    there rose

  8. وَجدي يجدي

    رشدي كَمالا

    my longing, bringing

    perfection to my reason.

  9. لَما تَوسَّم تَبسَّم

    عَن درّ مبسم منظم

    When he looked closely, he smiled,

    revealing the strung pearls of his smiling mouth.

  10. أَبدى سَنا عقدين

    درين يا عين حَيا اللَه

    He revealed the gleam of two necklaces,

    two pearl-strings—O eye, God bless him!

  11. يا غصن بان العلم

    حالي عَدم

    O bān-tree bough upon the hill,

    my state is destitution;

  12. أصبح فاِسمح

    واِمنح متيّم

    so it has become—be generous,

    and give to one enslaved by love.

  13. اِنظر لحالي فَلم

    أشكو أَلم

    Look at my state, for I have not

    complained of pain

  14. برّح فاِجنح

    تنجح لمغرم

    that tormented me; so show favor,

    and bring success to a lovesick man.

  15. في الخَدّ خطّ القلم

    يَتلو أَلم

    On the cheek, the pen's script

    recites, 'Have We not

  16. نَشرح فاِشطح

    واِمرح لِتَغنم

    expanded ...?' So dance,

    and make merry, that you may gain.

  17. أَجاب طرفي عَلَن

    تَاللَّه لَن

    My glance replied openly:

    'By God, we shall not

  18. نَبرَح نَسرَح

    نَفرَح بِمغنم

    cease roaming,

    rejoicing in a prize.'

  19. حبّي يا مفرد يا أَغيد

    يا نجم فرقد توَلّد

    My love, O peerless one, O supple one,

    O star, a Farqad newly born,

  20. جد بِالمُنى يا زين

    فالبين لي حين أَي وَاللَه

    grant wishes, O fair one,

    for separation is my doom—yes, by God!

  21. لِلّه بَدر جَلا

    شَمس الطِلا

    God be praised for a full moon that unveiled

    the sun of wine

  22. في الحان فتان

    أَجفان مَهفهف

    in the tavern, with bewitching

    eyelids, slender of form.

  23. حَيّا فَأَحيا المَلا

    لَما تَلا

    He greeted and revived the company,

    when he recited

  24. أَلحان أَشجان

    وَلهان تَلطّف

    melodies of sorrow;

    lovelorn, he showed kindness.

  25. إِن مَرَّ يَوماً حَلا

    هَتكي فَلا

    If he passes one day, sweet is

    my disgrace; so do not

  26. تلحان فَالبان

    مُذ بان تَعطّف

    reproach me, for the bān-tree,

    since it appeared, has swayed.

  27. راحي وَخد الطَلا

    روح عَلى

    My wine and the fawn's cheek—

    a spirit upon

  28. ريحان نَوعان

    نعمان وَقرقف

    sweet basil, two kinds:

    anemone and wine.

  29. قُم صاح نسكر وَنَخمر

    فَالبَدر أسفر وَأبدر

    Rise, friend; let us grow drunk and wine-dazed,

    for the full moon has shone forth and grown full,

  30. يهدي جنى خَدين

    offering the fruit of two cheeks.