أَفي الإِحسانِ غَرباً جاءَ جَذباً

أَفي الإِحسانِ غَرباً جاءَ جَذباً

وَعِندَ الشَرِّ ماءً في حُدورِ

وَعِندَ الشَرِّ ماءً في حُدورِ

Are you, in doing good, a large well-bucket hauled up,

Is kindness found lacking in the West, attracting blame,

and, when it comes to evil, water flowing downhill?

While evil has water in hearts?

فَإِنَّكَ لا إِلى شُهُبِ الثُرَيّا

فَإِنَّكَ لا إِلى شُهُبِ الثُرَيّا

بَلَغتَ وَلا حُسِبتَ مِنَ البُدورِ

بَلَغتَ وَلا حُسِبتَ مِنَ البُدورِ

For the bright stars of the Pleiades you have not

You have not attained the shooting stars of Thurayya,

reached, nor have you been counted among the full moons.

Nor counted among the bedouins.

وَتَخمَصُ مِن مَطاعِمِها رِجالٌ

وَتَخمَصُ مِن مَطاعِمِها رِجالٌ

لِأَنَّ هُمومَها مِلءُ الصُدورِ

لِأَنَّ هُمومَها مِلءُ الصُدورِ

And men grow gaunt on its fare,

And men shy away from her banquets

because its cares fill their breasts.

For her concerns fill up chests.

وَدَفنُ الغانِياتِ لَهُنَّ أَوفى

وَدَفنُ الغانِياتِ لَهُنَّ أَوفى

مِنَ الكِلَلِ المَنيعَةِ وَالخُدورِ

مِنَ الكِلَلِ المَنيعَةِ وَالخُدورِ

And burying beautiful women protects them better

Burying singing girls is kinder to them

than impregnable bed-canopies and secluded chambers.

Than firm boredom and cheeks.