جنبيkeep away كأسكyour cup الحزينةsorrowful عنيfrom me
جنبي كأسك الحزينة عني
وانهليand drink your fill خمرةwine الصبابةardent love منّيfrom me
وانهلي خمرة الصبابة منّي
Keep your sorrowful cup away from me,
Put your sad cup aside from me
And drink your fill of the wine of ardent love from me.
And drink the wine of youth from me
واهبطيand descend منfrom سماءheaven دلكyour coquetry ياO نجfirst part of Najwa
واهبطي من سماء دلك يا نج
وىfinal part of Najwa وكفّيand cease عنfrom القلىaversion والتجنّىand unjust reproach
وى وكفّي عن القلى والتجنّى
And descend from the heaven of your coquetry, O Naj-
And descend from your lofty indifference, O radiant moon
wa, and cease your aversion and unjust reproach.
And stop this warming and freezing
فالغرامfor passionate love البرىءinnocent وحيrevelation منfrom اللfirst part of Allah
فالغرام البرىء وحي من الل
هfinal part of Allah وعشقand love الجمالbeauty أخلدmost enduring فنart
ه وعشق الجمال أخلد فن
For innocent love is a revelation from Al-
For innocent love is a revelation from God
lah, and love of beauty is the most enduring art.
And the love of beauty is an eternal art
فاهتكيso tear away ستركyour veil الكثيفthick وروىand quench
فاهتكي سترك الكثيف وروى
لهفتيmy longing واعزفيand play بخدركin your chamber لحنيmy melody
لهفتي واعزفي بخدرك لحني
So tear away your thick veil, and quench
So lift your heavy veil and quench
My longing, and play my melody in your chamber.
My burning thirst, and play upon your cheek my tune
وابعثيand send فيin المنامsleep طيفكyour apparition حتىso that
وابعثي في المنام طيفك حتى
أنظمI compose الشعرpoetry فاسمعيهthen listen to it وغنيand sing
أنظم الشعر فاسمعيه وغني
And send your apparition into my dreams, so that
And send your apparition in a dream, so that
I may compose poetry; then listen to it and sing.
I may compose verses—listen and sing.