رُبَّ هيفاءَ رَدَاحٍ

رُبَّ هيفاءَ رَدَاحٍ

ذاتِ بُدنٍ وبياضِ

ذاتِ بُدنٍ وبياضِ

Many a slender-waisted, broad-hipped woman,

Many a radiant Eve in a place of solitude,

Full-bodied and fair-skinned,

Of supple body and snowy complexion,

بعلُها شيخٌ جليلٌ

بعلُها شيخٌ جليلٌ

لو تراهُ قُلتَ قاضي

لو تراهُ قُلتَ قاضي

Whose husband was a venerable old man—

Her husband an aged venerable Shaykh,

If you saw him, you would say, “A judge.”

If you saw him, you would say he is a judge.

نِكْتُها بين يديه

نِكْتُها بين يديه

وافترقنا عن تراضي

وافترقنا عن تراضي

I fucked her in his presence,

I winked at her before him

And we parted by mutual consent.

And we parted by mutual consent.

لم يُبالِ الشيخُ عاراً

لم يُبالِ الشيخُ عاراً

وهو عن يومين ماضي

وهو عن يومين ماضي

The old man cared nothing for disgrace,

The Shaykh cared not for shame

And in two days he would be gone.

Though it was but two days ago.

خالدَ اللؤم أمُغْضٍ

خالدَ اللؤم أمُغْضٍ

أنت لا بل مُتغاضي

أنت لا بل مُتغاضي

O Khalid of baseness, are you closing your eyes?

Khaled, blame the vile man, not me,

No—you are pretending not to see.

Nay, you are but condoning.

بكَ عرَّضتُ وإن كن

بكَ عرَّضتُ وإن كن

تَ قليل الامتعاض

تَ قليل الامتعاض

It was you I hinted at, though you were

For your sake I propositioned her though

little inclined to take offense.

She showed some reluctance at first.

ثم صرَّحتُ وما مع

ثم صرَّحتُ وما مع

نى احتشامي وانقباضي

نى احتشامي وانقباضي

Then I spoke plainly—what is the point

Then I spoke plainly, for modesty

of my reserve and restraint?

And coyness were not for me.

ليس مثلي يترك القصْ

ليس مثلي يترك القصْ

دَ ويمشي في العِراض

دَ ويمشي في العِراض

One like me does not abandon the straight

One like me does not give up his pursuit

path and travel by roundabout ways.

And walk away in frustration.