تَثاقَلَ لَيلي فَما أَبرَحُ

تَثاقَلَ لَيلي فَما أَبرَحُ

وَنامَ الصَباحُ فَما أُصبِحُ

وَنامَ الصَباحُ فَما أُصبِحُ

My night drags on, and I cannot stir.

My night lingered, so I did not depart,

And morning sleeps; I cannot reach the dawn.

And the dawn slept, so I did not rise,

وَكُنتُ اِمرَءاً بِالصِبا مولَعاً

وَكُنتُ اِمرَءاً بِالصِبا مولَعاً

وَبِاللَهوِ عِندي لَهُ مَفتَحُ

وَبِاللَهوِ عِندي لَهُ مَفتَحُ

And I was a man infatuated with youthful passion,

I was a youth obsessed with pleasure,

and with diversion, for which I kept an open door.

And for me, amusement was unlocked,

لَقَد كُنتُ أُمسي عَلى طَربَةٍ

لَقَد كُنتُ أُمسي عَلى طَربَةٍ

وَأُصبِحُ مِن مَرَحِ أَمرَحُ

وَأُصبِحُ مِن مَرَحِ أَمرَحُ

Indeed, I would enter evening in rapture,

I would spend the evening in joy,

and come morning, I would frolic with joy.

And the morning playing happily,

فَلَمّا نَهاني إِمامُ الهُدى

فَلَمّا نَهاني إِمامُ الهُدى

وَلاحَ لي المَطلَعُ الأَفيَحُ

وَلاحَ لي المَطلَعُ الأَفيَحُ

Then, when the imam of guidance forbade me,

But when the Imam of guidance forbade me,

and the broad horizon appeared to me—

And the splendid rising shone for me,

وَجارِيَةٍ دَلُّها رائِعٌ

وَجارِيَةٍ دَلُّها رائِعٌ

تَعِفُّ فَإِن سامَحَت تَمزَحُ

تَعِفُّ فَإِن سامَحَت تَمزَحُ

and many a maiden, whose coy grace is captivating,

And a maid whose allure was stunning,

is chaste, but if she relents, she is playful.

She was chaste, but if she jested, she would wink,

كَأَنَّ عَلى نَحرِها فَأرَةً

كَأَنَّ عَلى نَحرِها فَأرَةً

مِنَ المِسكِ في جَيبِها تُذبَحُ

مِنَ المِسكِ في جَيبِها تُذبَحُ

As though upon her throat a pod

As if a musk rat lay slaughtered

of musk were being slit open within her bodice.

In her pocket, on her neck,

كَأَنَّ القُرونَ عَلى مَتنِها

كَأَنَّ القُرونَ عَلى مَتنِها

أَساوِدُ شَتَّ بِها أَبطَحُ

أَساوِدُ شَتَّ بِها أَبطَحُ

As though the braids upon her back

As if the braids on her back

were black snakes scattered across a gravelly plain.

Were black serpents coiled on her hump,

لَها مَنطِقٌ فاخِرٌ فاتِنٌ

لَها مَنطِقٌ فاخِرٌ فاتِنٌ

كَحَلي العَرائِسِ يُستَملَحُ

كَحَلي العَرائِسِ يُستَملَحُ

Her speech is splendid and enchanting,

She had an eloquent, captivating speech,

admired like brides' jewelry.

Like the kohl of brides, carefully applied,

وَعَينانِ يَجري الرَدى فيهِما

وَعَينانِ يَجري الرَدى فيهِما

وَوَجهٌ يُصَلّى لَهُ أَسجَحُ

وَوَجهٌ يُصَلّى لَهُ أَسجَحُ

And two eyes in which death flows,

And two eyes in which emotion flowed,

and a smooth-cheeked face to which one prays,

And a face for which prostration was owed,

وَثَديٌ لِرُؤيَتِهِ سَجدَةٌ

وَثَديٌ لِرُؤيَتِهِ سَجدَةٌ

يَدينُ لَهُ الناسِكُ الأَجلَحُ

يَدينُ لَهُ الناسِكُ الأَجلَحُ

and a breast whose sight calls for prostration,

And a breast whose sight demanded bowing down,

to which the balding ascetic submits;

To which even the devout lowered their brows,

وَثَغرٌ إِذا ذُقتَهُ لَم تَمُت

وَثَغرٌ إِذا ذُقتَهُ لَم تَمُت

وَطابَ لَكَ العَيشُ وَالمَسرَحُ

وَطابَ لَكَ العَيشُ وَالمَسرَحُ

and a mouth that, if you taste it, you will not die,

And a mouth, that if tasted, you would not die,

and life and roaming grow sweet for you;

And life would be sweet and carefree for you,

وَخَدٌّ أَسيلٌ وَكَفٌّ إِذا

وَخَدٌّ أَسيلٌ وَكَفٌّ إِذا

أَشارَت لِقَومٍ بِها سَبَّحوا

أَشارَت لِقَومٍ بِها سَبَّحوا

and a smooth cheek, and a hand that, when

And a soft cheek and a palm which if

she gestures with it to a group, they glorify God;

She gestured with it, people praised,

وَساقٌ تُزَيِّنُ خَلخالَها

وَساقٌ تُزَيِّنُ خَلخالَها

عَلى أَنَّها صَعبَةٌ تَرمَحُ

عَلى أَنَّها صَعبَةٌ تَرمَحُ

and a leg that adorns her anklet,

And a leg adorned with anklets,

though she is untamed and kicks.

As if she was firm and threw spears,

وَتَضحَكُ عَن بَرَدٍ بارِدٍ

وَتَضحَكُ عَن بَرَدٍ بارِدٍ

تَلالى كَما لَمَعَ الوَحوحُ

تَلالى كَما لَمَعَ الوَحوحُ

And she smiles, revealing cool hailstones,

She would laugh at intense cold,

sparkling as a white stone gleams.

Glittering as lightning flashed,

مُبَتَّلَةٌ فَخمَةٌ فَعمَةٌ

مُبَتَّلَةٌ فَخمَةٌ فَعمَةٌ

هَضيمُ الكَشحِ بَوصُها أَرجَحُ

هَضيمُ الكَشحِ بَوصُها أَرجَحُ

Shapely, stately, full-bodied,

Of perfect proportions, tall and ample,

slender-waisted, with heavy buttocks.

The parting of her hair braided and long,

إِذا ذُكِرَت سَبَقَت عَبرَتي

إِذا ذُكِرَت سَبَقَت عَبرَتي

وَكادَت لَها كَبِدي تَقرَحُ

وَكادَت لَها كَبِدي تَقرَحُ

When she is mentioned, my tears rush forth,

When she was remembered, my tears outpaced me,

and my liver nearly breaks into sores for her.

And for her sake my liver almost ruptured,

مِنَ البيضِ تَجمَعُ هَمَّ الفَتى

مِنَ البيضِ تَجمَعُ هَمَّ الفَتى

كَما يَجمَعُ اللَبَنَ الإِنفَحُ

كَما يَجمَعُ اللَبَنَ الإِنفَحُ

One of the fair women, she gathers a youth's thoughts,

From her whiteness she gathered the anxiety of the youth,

as rennet curdles milk.

As whey gathers cream to the surface,

جَلَت عَن مَعاصِمِ جِنِّيَّةٍ

جَلَت عَن مَعاصِمِ جِنِّيَّةٍ

تَغِشُّ بِها الدينَ لا تَنصَحُ

تَغِشُّ بِها الدينَ لا تَنصَحُ

She bared the wrists of a jinn-maiden,

She revealed the schemes of a crafty demon,

with which she betrays religion, showing it no loyalty.

Who corrupted faith, not counseling sincerely,

وَزَجّاءَ بَرجاءَ في جَوهَرٍ

وَزَجّاءَ بَرجاءَ في جَوهَرٍ

تَروقُ بِها عَينُ مَن يَلمَحُ

تَروقُ بِها عَينُ مَن يَلمَحُ

And a long-browed, large-eyed beauty in jewels,

And the fraud of a swindler in a jewel,

a delight to the eye of whoever glimpses her.

Pleasing to the eye of any who glanced,

خَروجٌ عَلى جَمعِ أَترابِها

خَروجٌ عَلى جَمعِ أَترابِها

كَما يَخرُجُ الأَبلَقُ الأَقرَحُ

كَما يَخرُجُ الأَبلَقُ الأَقرَحُ

She stands out above the whole company of her peers,

She went beyond the gatherings of her peers,

as a piebald, white-starred horse stands out.

As a mangy camel sticks out from the herd,

نَهاني الخَليفَةُ عَن ذِكرِها

نَهاني الخَليفَةُ عَن ذِكرِها

وَكُنتُ بِما سَرَّهُ أَكدَحُ

وَكُنتُ بِما سَرَّهُ أَكدَحُ

The caliph forbade me to mention her,

The Caliph prohibited me from mentioning her,

and I toiled at whatever pleased him.

And I strove to please whatever delighted him,

فَأَعرَضتُ عَن حاجَتي عِندَها

فَأَعرَضتُ عَن حاجَتي عِندَها

وَلَلمَوتُ مِن تَركِها أَروَحُ

وَلَلمَوتُ مِن تَركِها أَروَحُ

So I turned away from pursuing my desire with her,

So I turned away from my need of her,

yet death is more restful than leaving her.

And I almost died from being denied her,

عَلى أَنَّ في النَفسِ مِن حُبِّها

عَلى أَنَّ في النَفسِ مِن حُبِّها

أَحاديثَ لَيسَ لَها مَطرَحُ

أَحاديثَ لَيسَ لَها مَطرَحُ

Though in my soul, from love of her,

For in my soul is a love of her,

are thoughts that cannot be cast away.

With conversations that have no relief,

تَرَكتُ سُدَيفاً وَأَصحابَهُ

تَرَكتُ سُدَيفاً وَأَصحابَهُ

وَأَحرَمتُ ما يَجتَني شَرمَحُ

وَأَحرَمتُ ما يَجتَني شَرمَحُ

I left Sudayf and his companions,

I left behind parties and companions,

and forbade myself what Sharmah harvests.

And denied myself what would ruin me,

وَقالَ المُفَرَّكُ ثابَ الفَتى

وَقالَ المُفَرَّكُ ثابَ الفَتى

وَسالَمَني الكَلبُ لا يَنبَحُ

وَسالَمَني الكَلبُ لا يَنبَحُ

And al-Mufarrak said, 'The youth has come to his senses,'

The debauched one bid the young man farewell,

and the dog made peace with me and does not bark.

And the dog greeted me, without barking,

فَهَذا أَوانَ اِنقَضَت شِرَّتي

فَهَذا أَوانَ اِنقَضَت شِرَّتي

وَشَرَّعتُ في الدينِ لا أَطلُحُ

وَشَرَّعتُ في الدينِ لا أَطلُحُ

So this is the time when my wild ardor ended,

So this is the time my wickedness has vanished,

and I embarked upon religion, without tiring.

And I embarked upon religion, no longer reckless,

بَلَوتُ اِبنَ نِهيا فَما عِندَهُ

بَلَوتُ اِبنَ نِهيا فَما عِندَهُ

سِوى أَن سَيَأكُلُ أَو يَسلَحُ

سِوى أَن سَيَأكُلُ أَو يَسلَحُ

I tested Ibn Nihya, and he has nothing

I tested the son of Nahya, but he had

except that he will eat or shit.

Nothing but eating or armoring himself,

وَذاكَ فَتىً مِن سُراةِ النَبيطِ

وَذاكَ فَتىً مِن سُراةِ النَبيطِ

تَعَوَّدَ شَيئاً فَما يُفلِحُ

تَعَوَّدَ شَيئاً فَما يُفلِحُ

And that youth is one of the Nabataean notables,

That was a lad from the chiefs of the Nabataeans,

accustomed to something, so he does not prosper.

Who had grown accustomed to shamelessness,

يُحِبُّ النِكاحَ وَيَأبى الصَلاحَ

يُحِبُّ النِكاحَ وَيَأبى الصَلاحَ

كَذاكَ النَباطِيُّ لا يَصلُحُ

كَذاكَ النَباطِيُّ لا يَصلُحُ

He loves intercourse and rejects righteousness;

He loves marriage but avoids piety,

such is the Nabataean: he does not reform.

That is the way of the Nabataean, he does not excel,

إِذا شِئتَ لاقَيتَهُ رابِضاً

إِذا شِئتَ لاقَيتَهُ رابِضاً

عَلى ظَهرِهِ رَجُلٌ يَسبَحُ

عَلى ظَهرِهِ رَجُلٌ يَسبَحُ

If you wish, you will find him crouching,

If you wish, you will find him lying down,

with a man swimming upon his back.

With a man on his back praising God,

تَراهُ يُسَرُّ بِنَيكِ اِبنِهِ

تَراهُ يُسَرُّ بِنَيكِ اِبنِهِ

عَلى أَنَّهُ سُبَّةٌ تَفضَحُ

عَلى أَنَّهُ سُبَّةٌ تَفضَحُ

You see him rejoice at his son's being fucked,

You see him happy with his son's sodomy,

though it is a disgrace that brings shame.

As if it were a disgrace to be exposed,

وَما كانَ إِلّا كَأُمِّ العَروسِ

وَما كانَ إِلّا كَأُمِّ العَروسِ

إِذا نُكِحَت بِنتُها تَفرَحُ

إِذا نُكِحَت بِنتُها تَفرَحُ

And he was only like the bride's mother:

When it was just like the mother of the bride,

when her daughter is bedded, she rejoices.

When her daughter is married, she rejoices.