تصابى فأضحى بعد سلوتِه صبَّاً

تصابى فأضحى بعد سلوتِه صبَّاً

وعاودَ عمروٌ طوْقَه بعدَ ما شَبَّا

وعاودَ عمروٌ طوْقَه بعدَ ما شَبَّا

He played at youthful love and, after his love had faded, became lovesick;

He resisted, but after his refusal became compliant

And ʿAmr returned to his collar after he had grown up.

And Amr renewed his devotion after he had rebelled

ومرَّ به رَطْبُ البَنانِ كأنه

ومرَّ به رَطْبُ البَنانِ كأنه

يُميِّلُ من أعطافِه غُصُناً رَطْبا

يُميِّلُ من أعطافِه غُصُناً رَطْبا

And one with tender fingers passed him, as though

The freshness of youth passed him as though

he were swaying a supple branch with the curves of his body.

It swayed its moist branch from its sides

نَشْرتُ له صَدْرَ العِتابِ فقال لي

نَشْرتُ له صَدْرَ العِتابِ فقال لي

ظَفِرْتَ بنا فاطوِ العِتابَ لك العُتبى

ظَفِرْتَ بنا فاطوِ العِتابَ لك العُتبى

I began unfolding my reproach to him, and he said to me:

I spread out to him the bosom of reproach, so he said to me

You have prevailed over us; fold up your reproach—you shall have amends.

You have won us over, so ignore the reproach - the blame is yours

ولا وصْلَ إلا أن تَبيتَ أكُفُّنا

ولا وصْلَ إلا أن تَبيتَ أكُفُّنا

ركائبَ تُزْجي من مُدامتِنا رَكْبا

ركائبَ تُزْجي من مُدامتِنا رَكْبا

And there is no union unless our hands spend the night

There is no union except that you spend the night cupping us

as mounts, carrying onward a caravan of our wine.

Mounts who depart from our revelry

فجدِّدْ بها عهدَ التَّواصُلِ بينَنا

فجدِّدْ بها عهدَ التَّواصُلِ بينَنا

وداوِ بها شَوقاً ونَفِّسْ بها كَرْبا

وداوِ بها شَوقاً ونَفِّسْ بها كَرْبا

So renew with it the bond of fellowship between us,

So renew through it the pact of connection between us

And cure longing with it, and with it relieve distress.

And cure through it a longing and breathe through it anguish

وكنْ يا ابْنَ فَهْدٍ في الفُتوَّةِ عاذري

وكنْ يا ابْنَ فَهْدٍ في الفُتوَّةِ عاذري

فما زِلتَ خِدْناً للفُتوَّةِ أو تِربَا

فما زِلتَ خِدْناً للفُتوَّةِ أو تِربَا

And, O son of Fahd, excuse me for my youthful gallantry,

And you, son of Fahd, be forgiving of my youthful ways

For you have always been youthful gallantry's intimate companion or peer.

For you have never ceased being devoted to youth or disciplined

ولا تَجعَلِ الذَّنْبَ العظيمَ خيانةً

ولا تَجعَلِ الذَّنْبَ العظيمَ خيانةً

فليسَ مليحُ الذَّنبِ مُقترِفاً ذَنْبا

فليسَ مليحُ الذَّنبِ مُقترِفاً ذَنْبا

And do not deem the grievous sin treachery,

And do not consider the grave sin to be betrayal

For one whose sin is charming commits no sin.

For it is not seemly that the sinner perpetrates a sin