خَليلُ خَودٍ غَرَّها شَبابُه

خَليلُ خَودٍ غَرَّها شَبابُه

أَعجَبَها إِذ لَبِنَت رُبابُه

أَعجَبَها إِذ لَبِنَت رُبابُه

A tender maiden's lover—his youth beguiled her.

A self-conceited youth, his youthfulness deceived him,

It pleased her when his newly lambed ewes gave milk,

She was captivated when his first down sprouted.

وَرائِبٌ جاشَت بِهِ وِطابُه

وَرائِبٌ جاشَت بِهِ وِطابُه

يا لَيتَها أَخبَرَها أَصحابُه

يا لَيتَها أَخبَرَها أَصحابُه

And curdled milk with which his milk-skins brimmed.

Passions surged in him while his beard grew,

Ah, if only his companions had told her

If only his companions had told her,

عَنهُ حَديثاً صادِقاً صُيّابُه

عَنهُ حَديثاً صادِقاً صُيّابُه

إِذ لا يَزالُ نائِساً لُعابُه

إِذ لا يَزالُ نائِساً لُعابُه

A truthful account of him—the discerning ones among them.

About him, a truthful, eloquent account,

For his saliva never ceases to dangle;

That his spittle keeps dripping while he sleeps,

يُعجِلُ حَلَّ رَحلِهِ اِنكِبابُه

يُعجِلُ حَلَّ رَحلِهِ اِنكِبابُه

طَحطَحَهُ مُنخَرِقٌ أَثوابُه

طَحطَحَهُ مُنخَرِقٌ أَثوابُه

His headlong plunge hastens the unfastening of his saddle.

His clothes are patched up as he rushes to leave,

One in torn garments battered him,

Tattered are his clothes, ripped up and torn.

بِالطَلَوانِ عاجِزاً أَنيابُه

بِالطَلَوانِ عاجِزاً أَنيابُه

رَوعُ الجَنانِ عَجِلٌ إِقتابُه

رَوعُ الجَنانِ عَجِلٌ إِقتابُه

At al-Ṭalawān, his fangs powerless.

Powerless are his fangs against sweetmeats,

Fearful at heart, his saddling hurried,

Fearful of gardens is his startled steed,

يُزجي مَطايا صُفراً أَقصابُه

يُزجي مَطايا صُفراً أَقصابُه

إِذا وَنَينَ إِنَّما عِتابُه

إِذا وَنَينَ إِنَّما عِتابُه

He drives mounts onward, his bowels empty.

Whose saddle drums out a yellowish squeak

When they flag, his only rebuke

Whenever he whinnies, it's just a rebuke,

وَشكُ الرَحيلِ ثُمَّتَ اِنسِلابُه

وَشكُ الرَحيلِ ثُمَّتَ اِنسِلابُه

Is swift departure, then his darting away.

And the jingle of departure then starts to recede.