سبحsang praise البلبلthe nightingale والمزنand the rain clouds سمحgave freely
سبح البلبل والمزن سمح
بربابwith white clouds نابserved as a substitute عنfor درpearls السُبَحthe prayer beads
برباب ناب عن در السُبَح
The nightingale sang praise, and the rain clouds gave freely
The nightingale and bulbul sing melodiously
White clouds in place of the pearls of prayer beads.
With the murmuring stream beside the meadow
وازدهىand grew resplendent الروضthe garden وهبتand blew نِسَمٌbreezes
وازدهى الروض وهبت نِسَمٌ
رقصتdanced فيin حجرهits lap أمthe mother of البلحdates
رقصت في حجره أم البلح
The garden grew resplendent, and breezes blew;
The garden is fragrant, a breeze blows gently
The mother of dates danced in its lap.
Swaying the juicy fruits on the palm’s bough
والذيand by him whose قدindeed قدَّcleft قلبٌa heart قدهhis figure
والذي قد قدَّ قلبٌ قده
ردturn away جورthe cruelty of الصدrejection عنيfrom me واصطلحand make peace
رد جور الصد عني واصطلح
And by him whose figure has indeed cleft a heart,
He who has captured my heart and soul
Turn rejection’s cruelty away from me, and make peace.
Remove the injustice, make peace I vow
فأتso come بالبكرwith the virgin wine التيwhose ياruby (first fragment of ياقوتها) قوتهاits ruby (remaining fragment of ياقوتها)
فأت بالبكر التي يا قوتها
مثلlike خدthe cheek of البكرthe maiden بالدرwith pearls اتشحwas adorned
مثل خد البكر بالدر اتشح
Then bring the virgin wine, whose ruby hue,
Bring to me the maiden whose cheek
Like a maiden’s cheek, is adorned with pearls.
Like a ripe peach with dew beads endow
واعطهاand give it منsome of ريقكyour saliva الشهدthe honey الذيwhich
واعطها من ريقك الشهد الذي
لوif تحسّاهhe sipped it ابنُa child of يومone day قالhe would say نحmake way!
لو تحسّاه ابنُ يوم قال نح
And give it some of your saliva—the honey that
Give her from your sweet lips the honey
Would make a day-old child, if he sipped it, say, “Make way!”
That if tasted even an infant would avow
واسقنيهاand give it to me to drink فيin رياضthe gardens of الآسmyrtle منfrom
واسقنيها في رياض الآس من
كاسthe cup of فيكyour mouth العذبsweet لاmay … not عاشlive القدحthe goblet
كاس فيك العذب لا عاش القدح
And give it to me to drink in the myrtle gardens, from
Serve it to me in the flower gardens
The cup of your sweet mouth—may the goblet perish!
From your cup where pure joy doth flow