ومُنخرِقٍ عَن مَنكِبَيهِ قَميصُهُ

ومُنخرِقٍ عَن مَنكِبَيهِ قَميصُهُ

وَعَن ساعِدَيه لِلأَخِلّاءِ واصِلِ

وَعَن ساعِدَيه لِلأَخِلّاءِ واصِلِ

And a man whose shirt is torn away from his shoulders,

His shirt torn at the shoulders,

And from his forearms, who keeps close ties with his friends.

And from his arms to the wastrels ever generous,

إذا طالَ بالقومِ المَطا في تنوفَةٍ

إذا طالَ بالقومِ المَطا في تنوفَةٍ

وطولُ السُرى ألفيتَه غيرَ ناكِلِ

وطولُ السُرى ألفيتَه غيرَ ناكِلِ

When the journey grows long for the company in a trackless waste,

When people prolonged their visit over cups in circles,

And the night march drags on, you find him unflinching.

You'd find him still pouring though all had their fill.

دَعَوتُ وقد دَبَّ الكَرى في عظامهِ

دَعَوتُ وقد دَبَّ الكَرى في عظامهِ

وفي راسِهِ حتى جَرى في المفاصِلِ

وفي راسِهِ حتى جَرى في المفاصِلِ

I called him when drowsiness had already crept into his bones,

I called him when sorrow crept into his bones,

And into his head, until it flowed through his joints,

And drenched his head till it pierced his very joints,

كما دَبَّ صافي الخمرِ في مُخِّ شارِبٍ

كما دَبَّ صافي الخمرِ في مُخِّ شارِبٍ

يميلُ بِعِطفَيهِ عن اللُبِّ ذاهِلِ

يميلُ بِعِطفَيهِ عن اللُبِّ ذاهِلِ

As clear wine creeps into a drinker's brain,

As pure wine soaks to the inner core of the drinker

Who sways from side to side, oblivious to reason.

Who lingers still though the first joy has declined.

فَلَبّى لِيَثنيني بِثَنيِ لسانهِ

فَلَبّى لِيَثنيني بِثَنيِ لسانهِ

ثَقيلَيهِ من نَومٍ غَلوبِ الغياطلِ

ثَقيلَيهِ من نَومٍ غَلوبِ الغياطلِ

So he answered, trying to dissuade me by bending his tongue,

He answered as my request his heavy tongue could hardly utter,

Its two sides heavy with sleep that overpowers cats.

Drowsy with the languor born of Mercedes' toils.

فقُلتُ لهُ قُل فاتَحِل لَيس ها هنا

فقُلتُ لهُ قُل فاتَحِل لَيس ها هنا

سوى وَقفَةِ الساري مُناخٌ لنازِلِ

سوى وَقفَةِ الساري مُناخٌ لنازِلِ

Then I said to him, 'Speak, then depart [uncertain reading]; here there is no

I said: Speak up, and travel gear prepare, for this is not

Resting-place for one alighting, save a night-traveler's halt.'

A place to rest but a pausing site for travellers moving on.

فَقامَ اهتزازَ الرُمحِ يسرو قميصَهُ

فَقامَ اهتزازَ الرُمحِ يسرو قميصَهُ

وَيَحسُرُ عن عاري الذراعَين ناحِلِ

وَيَحسُرُ عن عاري الذراعَين ناحِلِ

So he rose like a quivering spear, stripping off his shirt,

He rose shaking his spear, and doffing his shirt,

And revealing a lean, bare-armed figure.

Baring arms grown hairy and sinewy with work.