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Despite the enviers’ rage and malice of the spy, I’ve won of him I love my wish to satisfy;
Yea, we have crowned our loves with many a close embrace, On cushions of brocade and silken stuffs piled high
Upon a couch full soft, of perfumed leather made And stuffed with down of birds of rarest kind that fly.
Thanks to the honeyed dews of my beloved’s lips, Illustrious past compare, no need of wine have I.
Yea, for the sweet excess of our fulfilled delight, The present from the past we know, nor far from nigh.
A miracle indeed! Seven nights o’er us have passed, Without our taking note of how they flitted by;
Till, on the seventh day, they wished us joy and said, “Your union God prolong to all eternity!”
When she had finished, Uns el Wujoud kissed her, more than a hundred times, and recited the following verses:
O day of pure delight and mutual happiness! The loved one came and set me free from loneliness.
She blest me with the sweets of all her glorious charms, What while her converse filled my spirit with liesse.
She plied me with the wine of amorous delight, Till all my senses failed, for very drunkenness.
Yea, merry each with each we made, together lay, Then fell to wine and did, in song, our cheer express;
Nor knew we, of the days that fleeted over us, The present from the past, for very joy’s excess.
Fair fall all those that love of ease and twinned delight, And joy to them fulfil its promise none the less!
Ne’er may they know the taste of parting’s bitter cup! God succour them as me He succoured in my stress!
Then they went forth and distributed to the folk alms and largesse of money and raiment and so forth; after which Rose-in-bud bade empty the bath for her and turning to Uns el Wujoud, said to him, ‘O solace of my eyes, I have a mind to see thee in the bath; and we will be alone together therein.’ He gladly consented to this, and she bade perfume the bath for them with all manner of scented woods and essences and light the candles.
