حتّامَ تعشقُ عاجاً تحتَ ديباجِ

بعد التلمُّسِ للدّيباجِ والعاجِ

You will surely fall in love with ivory under brocade

After touching the brocade and ivory

إياكَ والغبنُ فالألوانُ كاذبةٌ

هذي تجارةُ نحّاتٍ ونسّاج

Beware of being cheated for colors are deceitful

This is the trade of a sculptor and weaver

من الطواويسِ حسنُ الريشِ أعجبنا

وأزعجَ الصوتُ منها أي إزعاج

The beauty of the peacock's feathers appealed to us

Yet its voice disturbed us, what a disturbance

فللظواهرِ حسنٌ كاذبٌ سَمِجٌ

وللبواطن حسنٌ صادقٌ شاج

For appearances have a false, tedious beauty

While essences have a truthful, splendid beauty

والحسنُ أضحى متاعاً يُشترى فلكم

أرى الحرائرَ أزواجاً لأعلاج

And beauty has become a commodity that is bought so how much

I see free women as wives of quacks

كم غادةٍ برزت في السوقِ فاتنةً

حتى إذا عريت من وَشي ديباج

How many coquettish women appeared in the market

Until when stripped of her brocade dress

أنفتُ منها وقد زالت ملاحتُها

مع ثوبها وغدت قطناً لحلاج

I was disgusted by her and her charm disappeared

With her dress, and she became like cotton for a barber

فبتُّ أرجو خلاصاً والشرابُ غدا

منها سراباً وقلبي ضيِّقٌ داج

So I remained hoping for salvation but the wine has become

From her a mirage and my heart is straitened, distressed

وبعدَ حلمي بجنّاتٍ مزخرفةٍ

حاولتُ في سِجنِها تعجيلَ إفراج

And after my dream of luxurious gardens

I tried in her prison to hasten release

قد زالَ ما كان من نهدِ ومن كَفَلٍ

فما ظفرتُ بخفَّاقٍ ورَجراج

What was of breasts and palms has disappeared

So I gained neither a fluttering nor twittering

إن المحاسنَ حاجاتٌ مموَّهةٌ

إن زال زخرفُها لم تقضِ من حاج

Charms are disguised needs

If their adornment disappears, they do not fulfill a need

دَعِ الخلاعةَ لا تركب سفينتَها

إن الزوابعَ شّتى فوقَ أمواج

Leave coquetry, do not board her ship

For there are violent storms over the waves

وفي الزواجِ أمورٌ لو فَطِنتَ لها

ما قلت سعداً لأولادٍ وأزواج

And in marriage there are things, had you understood them

You would not have said happy for children and wives

تحتَ السكونِ هياجٌ فيه عاصفةٌ

فلا تَغُرَّنكَ خُودٌ طرفُها ساج

Under stillness there is turmoil in which there is a storm

So do not be fooled by a cheek whose edge is finely dressed

لكنَّ في الكونِ أسراراً تُسيِّرُنا

وقد خُلِقنا لتأويبٍ وإدلاج

But in the universe there are mysteries that guide us

And we were created for interpretation and stitching together

قد يغلبُ القَدَرُ المحتومُ مقدرةً

فيسقطُ الرأسُ بين العرشِ والتاج

Fate may overcome estimated fate

And the head may fall between the throne and crown

وقد يكونُ الغِنى من صدفةٍ عرضت

والفقرُ ما بين إِلجامٍ وإسراج

And wealth may come from a chance circumstance

While poverty is between determination and preparation

للفأل كالشؤمِ إضرارٌ بصاحبهِ

فاملُك هواكَ لإفساحٍ وإحراج

Like misfortune, superstition harms its companion

So restrain your passion for relief and embarrassment

وامشِ الهويناء لا يأسٌ ولا طمعٌ

وكُن حكيماً فلا مُطْرٍ ولا هاج

And walk the path of love, neither hopelessness nor ambition

And be wise, neither heavy rain nor hail