يا ابْنَ حَسَّانَ والأنامُ ضُروبٌ

يا ابْنَ حَسَّانَ والأنامُ ضُروبٌ

حينَ تَتلو أخبارَهم وصُنوفُ

حينَ تَتلو أخبارَهم وصُنوفُ

O son of Hassān, people are of many kinds,

O son of Hassaan, though people are of different kinds

and sorts, when you recount their stories.

When you recite their tales and categories

غَرَّني منك ناظِرٌ يُكثرُ الإط

غَرَّني منك ناظِرٌ يُكثرُ الإط

راقَ سَمتاً وشارِبٌ مَحفوفُ

راقَ سَمتاً وشارِبٌ مَحفوفُ

I was deceived by your gaze, so often cast

I was deceived about you by an onlooker, talkative

down in dignified composure, and by your closely trimmed mustache.

Of graceful figure and ewer-bearing attendant

وتَكَشَّفْتَ فالعَوارُ الذي ما

وتَكَشَّفْتَ فالعَوارُ الذي ما

زِلْتَ تُخفيهِ ظاهِرٌ مَكشوفُ

زِلْتَ تُخفيهِ ظاهِرٌ مَكشوفُ

And you revealed yourself: the flaw you never

You disclosed yourself, so the fault that you used to

ceased concealing is plain and exposed.

Hide became apparent and uncovered

مُولَعٌ بالقُطوبِ يُظْهِرُ سُخْطاً

مُولَعٌ بالقُطوبِ يُظْهِرُ سُخْطاً

ورِضاه إذا استشاطَ طَفيفُ

ورِضاه إذا استشاطَ طَفيفُ

Given to scowling, he displays displeasure,

Passionate for dervishes, showing anger

and his contentment, when he flies into a rage, is scant.

And pleasure when he was enraged, trivial

كنتُ أُبقي على العَذولِ وما أد

كنتُ أُبقي على العَذولِ وما أد

ري بأنَّ العَذولَ طُرّاً لَفيفُ

ري بأنَّ العَذولَ طُرّاً لَفيفُ

I used to spare the faultfinder, and did not

I used to blame coquetry, and I did not know

know that faultfinders, one and all, are a motley crowd.

That coquetry is a gentle, sly bird