حَسبَ الخَليعِ مَلجا
رَوضٌ عَلى غَدير
The ignorant man sees the meadow as refuge,
A garden by a stream,
وَقَهوَةٌ مُدارَه
أَنفاسُها عَبير
And coffee whose fragrance
Is a soothing breath.
صَفراء بِنتُ دَنٍّ
بِالنورِ تَطلُع
The blonde daughter of baseness
Rises with the light.
يَنشقُّ كُلُّ دَجنٍ
عَنها وَيَنصَدِع
Every darkness splits open
And cracks before her.
إِبريقُها يُغَنّي
وَالكَأسُ يَستَمِع
Her pot sings
While the cup listens.
وَلا تَزالُ ترجى
لِلحادِثِ النَكير
She still hopes
For the terrible accident,
لِلهَمِّ إِن أَثارَه
بَينَ الحَشا مُنير
For worries, if they’re aroused,
To shine among the meadows.
هَلِ الكُؤوس راحَه
لِذي بَلابِل
Do cups bring relief
To one with nightingales?
يا واحِدَ المَلاحَه
بَعدَ اِبنِ راحِل
O you of salty friends
After the son left.
هذي النَوى مُباحَه
فَاِحفَظ وَسائِلي
This purpose is permitted
So guard my means.
ما لِلكَئيبِ مَنجى
إِذ باتَ في سَمير
No refuge for the somber one
Who spent the night wakeful.
قَلبٌ يَشُبُّ ناره
في أَدمُعٍ تَفور
A heart whose fire kindles
In flowing tears
قَد مِلت كُلَّ مَيلٍ
لِجانِبِ الصبا
I’m tired of every inclination
To youth’s side.
وَيلٌ وَأَيُّ وَيلٍ
لِكُلِّ مَن صَبا
Woe, what woe,
To all who were young!
أَعيا عَليّ لَيلي
شَرقاً وَمَغرِبا
My nights besieged me,
East and west,
كَواكِب تُزجى
تُزاحِفُ الكَسير
Like stars herded
Crawling feebly.
فَهُنَّ في اِستِدارَة
وَاللَيلُ كَالأَسير
They’re in orbit
While night’s a captive,
مَلكٌ لَهُ جُنود
مِن طَرفِهِ الكَحيل
A king who has soldiers
With sleepy eyes.
أَلحاظُهُ تَرود
في هذِهِ العُقول
Their glances wander
In these minds,
وَريقُهُ البرود
وَخَدُّه الأَسيل
And his cool saliva
And smooth cheek left.
راح تَقل فَلجا
كَالدُرِّ في النُحور
He went away to a refuge
Like a pearl in shell
وَنور جلّنارَه
في سَوسَنٍ نَضير
And the blazing light of his face
In a parallel iris.
لَمّا نَأَيتَ عَنّي
وَبِتّ مُكمَدا
When you were far from me
And spent folded up,
عَلَّلت بِالتَمَنّي
قَلباً مُفردا
I blamed with wishing
A heart alone.
وَإِذ قَرُبتَ مِنّي
غَدَوتَ مُنشِدا
And when you drew near me
In the morning reciting,
بُشرى لِكُلِّ مَن جا
بِإِقبالِ الوَزير
Good news to all who came
With the return of the minister,
أَن يُعطى مِن بِشارَه
ما يُعطى البَشير
To be given of his tidings
What's given the messenger.
