أذائب التبر أبدى جوهر الحبب

أم ريق مبسمه قد شيب بالشنب

Is it molten gold that has revealed the gems of foam,

Or the saliva of his smiling mouth, mingled with the cool sweetness of his teeth?

بدر يطوف بشمس الراح في فلك

يطفو عليها حباب الدر كالشهب

A full moon goes round with the sun of wine in an orbit;

Upon it float bubbles of pearl, like shooting stars.

يسعى بها وباخرى من مراشفه

صرفا ويمزج منه الجد باللعب

He goes about with it, and another wine from his lips,

Unmixed, and mingles his earnestness with play.

لا تحسبوا ان سكري من مدامته

سكري بريقته لا بابنة العنب

Do not suppose that my drunkenness comes from his wine;

My drunkenness comes from his saliva, not from the daughter of the grape.

غريز حسن عزيز في تطلبه

قتل المحب يرى من ايسر الطلب

Rich in beauty [reading uncertain], hard to attain when sought,

He considers killing the lover among the easiest pursuits.

ما ماس بالقد في حرب الهوى ورنا

الا ونادى فؤاد الصب بالحرب

Never does he sway his figure in love's war and gaze

Without summoning the lovesick heart to war.

تشن الحاظه الغارات ناهية

وليس يرضى من المسلوب بالسلب

His forbidding glances launch their raids,

And he is not content with plunder from the plundered.

صدقت دعوى عذولي في هواه ولم

يشعر باني اصوب الصدق بالكذب

I affirmed my reproacher's claim about loving him, yet he did not

Realize that I set truth right with falsehood.

نبي حسن ابان السيف معجزة

مذ جاء في فترة الاجفان بالعجب

A prophet of beauty, he revealed the sword as a miracle,

Since he came with wonders amid the languor of eyelids.

ليت العذول ابو جهل يكابد ما

يلقاه قلبي غراما من ابي لهب

Would that the reproacher, Abu Jahl, suffered what

My heart endures in passion from Abu Lahab.

يا حبذا كل ما يرضيه من تلفي

وكل شيء به يأبى سوى الغضب

Oh, how welcome is whatever of my ruin pleases him,

And everything in which he will accept nothing but anger.