لِقاءُ الناسِ أَلّجَأَني بِرُغمي

لِقاءُ الناسِ أَلّجَأَني بِرُغمي

إِلى حُسنِ التَجَّمُّلِ وَالنِفاقِ

إِلى حُسنِ التَجَّمُّلِ وَالنِفاقِ

Meeting people has driven me, against my will,

People's company has forced me unwillingly

To a gracious outward show and hypocrisy.

To be polite and hypocritical

وَما أَلقى عَريباً بِاِختِياري

وَما أَلقى عَريباً بِاِختِياري

وَلَكِن حُمَّ ذَلِكَ بِاِتِّفاقِ

وَلَكِن حُمَّ ذَلِكَ بِاِتِّفاقِ

And I meet no one of my own free will,

And I do not willingly meet an Arab

But this was ordained by chance.

But that was imposed on me by circumstance

وَقَد يَغشى الفَتى لُجَجَ المَنايا

وَقَد يَغشى الفَتى لُجَجَ المَنايا

حِذاراً مِن أَحاديثِ الرِفاقِ

حِذاراً مِن أَحاديثِ الرِفاقِ

And a young man may brave the deep waters of death,

And death's agony may beset a young man

For fear of his companions’ talk.

From fear of his friends' words

وَتَصطَفِقُ المَزاهِرُ مُخبِراتٍ

وَتَصطَفِقُ المَزاهِرُ مُخبِراتٍ

زَواهِرَ في المَآثِمِ بِاِصطِفاقِ

زَواهِرَ في المَآثِمِ بِاِصطِفاقِ

And the lutes resound, bearing tidings,

And flowers nod their blossoms

Gleaming amid sins, through their clamor.

Like gems respectfully bowing in apology