لِمَن دِمَنٌ تَزدادُ حُسنَ رُسومِ

لِمَن دِمَنٌ تَزدادُ حُسنَ رُسومِ

عَلى طولِ ما أَقوَت وَطيبِ نَسيمِ

عَلى طولِ ما أَقوَت وَطيبِ نَسيمِ

Whose are these camp ruins, their traces growing lovelier,

To whom belong these ruins that grow in the beauty of their traces,

And their breeze sweeter, despite their long abandonment?

Despite the length of their desolation and the sweetness of the breeze?

تَجافى البِلى عَنهُنَّ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

تَجافى البِلى عَنهُنَّ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

لَبِسنَ عَلى الإِقواءِ ثَوبَ نَعيمِ

لَبِسنَ عَلى الإِقواءِ ثَوبَ نَعيمِ

Decay has shunned them, till it is as though

Decay has turned away from them, until it seems as if

They had donned, despite desolation, a robe of bliss.

They have worn, amidst their emptiness, a garment of bliss.

وَما زالَ مَدلولاً عَلى الرَبعِ عاشِقٌ

وَما زالَ مَدلولاً عَلى الرَبعِ عاشِقٌ

حَسيرُ لُباناتٍ طَليحُ هُمومِ

حَسيرُ لُباناتٍ طَليحُ هُمومِ

And still a lover is guided to the campsite,

And a lover remains constantly guided to this campsite,

Wearied by longings, worn down by cares.

Exhausted by yearnings, worn down by heavy cares.

يَرى الناسَ أَعباءً عَلى جَفنِ عَينِهِ

يَرى الناسَ أَعباءً عَلى جَفنِ عَينِهِ

وَلَو حَلَّ في داري أَخٍ وَحَميمِ

وَلَو حَلَّ في داري أَخٍ وَحَميمِ

He sees people as burdens upon his eyelid,

He perceives people as a burden upon his very eyelids,

Even if he lodges in the homes of a brother and a dear friend.

Even were he to settle in the home of a brother or close friend.

فَوَدَّ بِجَدعِ الأَنفِ لَو أَنَّ ظَهرَها

فَوَدَّ بِجَدعِ الأَنفِ لَو أَنَّ ظَهرَها

مِنَ الناسِ أَعرى مِن سَراةِ أَديمِ

مِنَ الناسِ أَعرى مِن سَراةِ أَديمِ

So he wished, at the cost of his nose, that the earth's surface

He would wish, at the cost of severing his nose, that the earth’s surface

Were barer of people than the surface of a hide.

Were more stripped of people than a smooth leather hide.

أَلا حَبَّذا عَيشُ الرَجاءِ وَرَجعَةٌ

أَلا حَبَّذا عَيشُ الرَجاءِ وَرَجعَةٌ

إِلى دُفِّ مِقلاقِ الوَضينِ سَعومِ

إِلى دُفِّ مِقلاقِ الوَضينِ سَعومِ

Ah, how sweet a life of hope, and a return

Oh, how beloved is the life of hope and a return

To the flank of a swift she-camel whose girth slips loose.

To the flank of a swift she-camel with a loose saddle-girth,

تَرامَت بِها الأَهوالُ حَتّى كَأَنَّها

تَرامَت بِها الأَهوالُ حَتّى كَأَنَّها

تَحَيَّفُ مِن أَقطارِها بِقَدومِ

تَحَيَّفُ مِن أَقطارِها بِقَدومِ

Terrors have tossed her about, until she seems

Which dangers have tossed about until she appears

To be hewn away at the sides with an adze.

To be whittled down at her sides by an adze.

وَكَأسٍ كَعَينِ الديكِ باتَت تَعُلُّني

وَكَأسٍ كَعَينِ الديكِ باتَت تَعُلُّني

عَلى وَجهِ مَعبودِ الجَمالِ رَخيمِ

عَلى وَجهِ مَعبودِ الجَمالِ رَخيمِ

And a cup like a rooster's eye kept me drinking all night,

And a cup, clear as a rooster's eye, kept quenching my thirst,

As I gazed on the face of a soft-voiced idol of beauty.

Served by the face of one worshipped for beauty and gentle grace.

إِذا قُلتُ عَلَّلني بِريقِكَ أَقبَلَت

إِذا قُلتُ عَلَّلني بِريقِكَ أَقبَلَت

مَراشِفُهُ حَتّى يُصِبنَ صَميمي

مَراشِفُهُ حَتّى يُصِبنَ صَميمي

When I said, 'Refresh me with your saliva,' forward came

When I said, "Refresh me with the nectar of your mouth," there approached

His lips, until they reached my very core.

His sipping lips until they struck my heart's core.

بَنَينا عَلى كِسرى سَماءَ مُدامَةٍ

بَنَينا عَلى كِسرى سَماءَ مُدامَةٍ

مُكَلَّلَةً حافاتُها بِنُجومِ

مُكَلَّلَةً حافاتُها بِنُجومِ

We built above Kisra a sky of wine,

We built over Chosroes a sky of wine,

Its edges crowned with stars.

Its edges crowned with a wreath of stars;

فَلَو رُدَّ في كِسرى ابنِ ساسانَ روحُهُ

فَلَو رُدَّ في كِسرى ابنِ ساسانَ روحُهُ

إِذَن لَاصطَفاني دونَ كُلِّ نَديمِ

إِذَن لَاصطَفاني دونَ كُلِّ نَديمِ

So if his soul were restored to Kisra, son of Sasan,

And were the spirit returned to Chosroes son of Sasan,

He would surely choose me over every drinking companion.

He would surely have chosen me above all drinking companions.

إِلَيكَ أَبا العَبّاسِ عَدَّيتُ ناقَتي

إِلَيكَ أَبا العَبّاسِ عَدَّيتُ ناقَتي

زِيادَةَ وُدٍّ وَامتِحانَ كَريمِ

زِيادَةَ وُدٍّ وَامتِحانَ كَريمِ

To you, Abu al-Abbas, I drove my she-camel,

To you, Abu al-Abbas, I have directed my mount,

To deepen affection and test a generous man,

To increase our bond and test the generosity of the noble.

لَأَعلَمَ ما تَأتي وَإِن كُنتُ عالِماً

لَأَعلَمَ ما تَأتي وَإِن كُنتُ عالِماً

بِأَنَّكَ مَهما قُلتَ غَيرِ مَليمِ

بِأَنَّكَ مَهما قُلتَ غَيرِ مَليمِ

To learn what you will do, though I know

That I might witness what you do, though I already know

That, whatever you say, you are beyond reproach.

That whatever you say, you are beyond all blame.