تعلَّقتُه مُسهِراً مُسكِراً

شَديد الخمار وما خُمِّرا

I was captivated by him intoxicated and drunk

Heavily inebriated though not yet covered

تقلَّبَ في صورةٍ صورةٍ

كما تَفعلُ الجِنُّ أو أكثَرا

He changed into image after image

As jinn are wont to do, or more

فَفيما أرى غُصناً إذ أَرى

هِلالاً إلى أن أَرى جُؤذَرا

So I see a branch, and lo, I see

A crescent, until I see a full moon

وقد صارَ تخطر في حبِّه

وساوِسُ ما خِلتُ أن تَخطُرا

And it occurred to me, in my love for him

Thoughts I had never thought before

فقوموا سَلوا عن سلوٍ يُبا

عُ أو استَخبروا عن كرىً يُكتَرى

So rise and ask about a wadi that sells

Love, or seek out a ruin that grants union

هل الناسُ مِثلي وإلا فما

أشدَّ القُلوب وما أصبَرا

Are people like me, or am I

Of firmer heart and greater patience?

وصفراء تنفذُ من كأسِها

فتُبصِرُ من حولها أصفَرا

My yellow one pours from her cup

And all around her then looks yellow

تمدُّ إذا شُعشِعَت كالهَبا

ءِ إذا كان قُدَّامها أو وَرا

She straightens, when made tipsy, like a flame

In front or behind as she sways

وفي القَومِ من لم يكن عنده

إذا أسكرَ القومُ أن يسكَرا

And among the people is one who, lacking

Drink when the people drink, cannot get drunk

سَقاني وشدَّ معي شربَهُ

فما شَدَّ من بَعدِها مِئزَرا

He gave me to drink, and drank with me,

Then bound not his loins afterward

وبتُّ أدافعُ عنه الهوى

وأمنعُ إبليسَ أن يَحضُرا

I stay up to defend him from passion

And prevent the devil his urge to be present

وأذكرُ أهل الوفا والعَفا

فِ فَأحسِبُ أوَّلَهم جَعفَرا

And I mention the true and noble souls

Counting Ja'far as the first of them

وكم يَستذِمُّ به مالُه

فلا يَتَمالكُ أن يَغدرا

How often his wealth almost

Seduces him, but he resists betrayal

وذلك أعدلُ حُكم النَّدى

وإن كان أعدلُهُ أجوَرا

That is the most just judgment of chivalry

Though its most open-handed judgment are gifts

وحقُّ الندى أن يُنادي عَلَي

هِ من يَشتَري جارَنا بالبَرى

The duty of chivalry is to call out

"Who will buy our neighbor with kindness?"

على أن يُضيِّعَ ما عِندَه

ويمنَحهُ كلَّ من أبصَرا

On condition he squander what he owns

And grant freely all who see him

ولكن يَنالُكَ من فِعلهِ

إذا نَسيَ الناسُ أن يُذكَرا

But you earn from his action, when

People forget you, only blame

فتىً مدَّ بالجودِ كِلتا يَدي

هِ فَمدُّهُما أيمناً أيسَرا

A young man who stretched out both hands with generosity

Extending his right and his left

ولاحَ على فعلِه بشرهُ

فألفَيتَهُ مُزهِراً مُثمِرا

The sheen of his deed shone on his face

So I found him blooming and fruitful

وكم فاضَ بالأدبِ المُستَفا

ضِ فأَجرى بهذا وذا أبحُرا

How he overflowed with most excellent grace

And thereby gave life to this and that sea

فزُرهُ إذا شئتَ مُستَرفِداً

لتَغنى وإن شئتَ مستنصِرا

Then visit him, if you wish, to gain wealth

Or, if you wish, seeking his aid