سقاني السُّلافةَ من ريقه

سقاني السُّلافةَ من ريقه

وأقطفنِي الوردَ من خدِّهِ

وأقطفنِي الوردَ من خدِّهِ

He gave me the choicest wine to drink from his saliva,

She quenched my thirst with her saliva

and let me pluck roses from his cheek.

And plucked for me roses from her cheek

وعوّضنِي بقصير الوصا

وعوّضنِي بقصير الوصا

لِ عمّا تطاول من صدِّهِ

لِ عمّا تطاول من صدِّهِ

And compensated me with a brief union

She compensated my short reach

for his long-lasting rejection.

For what was beyond my grasp

وأوسعنِي الكَثْرَ من رِفْدِه

وأوسعنِي الكَثْرَ من رِفْدِه

وما كنتُ أطمع في وعدِهِ

وما كنتُ أطمع في وعدِهِ

And lavished his abundant bounty upon me,

She gave me plenty from her gifts

though I had not hoped for his promise.

Though I did not hope for her promise

وقلتُ لمن لام في حبّهِ

وقلتُ لمن لام في حبّهِ

غَششتَ فمن ليَ مِن بعدِهِ

غَششتَ فمن ليَ مِن بعدِهِ

And I said to whoever reproached me for loving him:

And I said to those who blamed me for loving her

“You have misled me—who, then, would I have after him?”

You have faulted me, but who else is there for me after her?

وشاع غرامي به في الأنامِ

وشاع غرامي به في الأنامِ

فما لي سبيلٌ إلى جَحْدِهِ

فما لي سبيلٌ إلى جَحْدِهِ

And my passion for him spread among humankind,

And my love for him spread among the people

so I have no way to deny it.

So I have no way to deny it

ومن أين أطلب في حُسنهِ

ومن أين أطلب في حُسنهِ

لَه الشَّبه والحسنُ من عندِهِ

لَه الشَّبه والحسنُ من عندِهِ

And where could I seek, to match his beauty,

And from where can I seek, in his beauty?

his equal, when beauty comes from him?

The resemblance and beauty are from Him