يا مَرحَباً أَلفاً وَأَلفا

يا مَرحَباً أَلفاً وَأَلفا

بِالكاسِراتِ إِلَيَّ طَرفا

بِالكاسِراتِ إِلَيَّ طَرفا

Oh, a thousand welcomes, and a thousand more,

O welcome, a thousand welcomes

to those who lower their gaze toward me,

To the coy-eyed beauties towards me a glance did throw

رُجحِ الرَوادِفِ كَالظِبا

رُجحِ الرَوادِفِ كَالظِبا

ءِ تَعَرَّضَت حُوّاً وُوُطفا

ءِ تَعَرَّضَت حُوّاً وُوُطفا

heavy-hipped, like gazelles

Lower the litters, like the wild cows

appearing, dark-lipped and long-lashed.

Sweeping haughtily along

أَنكَرنَ مَركَبِيَ الحِما

أَنكَرنَ مَركَبِيَ الحِما

رَ وَكُنَّ لا يُنكِرنَ طِرفا

رَ وَكُنَّ لا يُنكِرنَ طِرفا

They disapproved of my mount, the donkey,

They denied to recognize my ship

though they used not to disapprove of a noble steed.

Though once they’d never fail to know a glance

وَسَأَلنَني أَينَ الشَبا

وَسَأَلنَني أَينَ الشَبا

بُ فَقُلتُ بانَ وَكانَ حَلفا

بُ فَقُلتُ بانَ وَكانَ حَلفا

And they asked me, “Where is youth?”

And asked me where was my youth’s freshness fled

So I said, “It has gone; it was a sworn ally.”

I said, it perished, though the oaths I swore were true

أَفنى شَبابي فَاِنقَضى

أَفنى شَبابي فَاِنقَضى

حِلفُ النِساءِ تَبِعنَ حِلفا

حِلفُ النِساءِ تَبِعنَ حِلفا

My youth was spent, and so came to an end

My youth is gone, and vanished

the pact with women; they followed an ally.

The oaths of women, followed youth, too

أَعطَيتُهُنَّ مَوَدَّتي

أَعطَيتُهُنَّ مَوَدَّتي

فَجَزَينَني كَذِباً وَخُلفا

فَجَزَينَني كَذِباً وَخُلفا

I gave them my affection,

I gave them loyalty and loving care

yet they repaid me with lies and broken promises.

Yet they rewarded me with lies and hateful deeds unfair

وَقَصائِدٍ مِثلِ الرُقى

وَقَصائِدٍ مِثلِ الرُقى

أَرسَلتُهُنَّ فَكُنَّ شَغفا

أَرسَلتُهُنَّ فَكُنَّ شَغفا

And poems, like incantations—

Poems like spells I sent them, and they filled me

I sent them forth, and they became consuming love.

With passion and desire

أَوجَعنَ كُلَّ مُغازِلٍ

أَوجَعنَ كُلَّ مُغازِلٍ

وَعَصَفنَ بِالغَيرانِ عَصفا

وَعَصَفنَ بِالغَيرانِ عَصفا

They pained every wooer,

They made me suffer pain in every love song

and fiercely buffeted the jealous man.

And stormed with separation, wrath and ire

مِن كُلِّ لَذّاتِ الفَتى

مِن كُلِّ لَذّاتِ الفَتى

قَد نِلتُ نائِلَةً وَعُرفا

قَد نِلتُ نائِلَةً وَعُرفا

From all a young man's pleasures,

Of every joy for men that can be found

I have indeed gained gifts and favors.

I've gained my share and more

صِدتُ الأَوانِسَ كَالدُمى

صِدتُ الأَوانِسَ كَالدُمى

وَسَقَيتُهُنَّ الخَمرَ صِرفا

وَسَقَيتُهُنَّ الخَمرَ صِرفا

I captured the maidens, like sculpted figures,

I turned from maidens shunning me

and gave them undiluted wine to drink.

And gave them wine in flowing store