لم يشفني الابريق قرقفه
وشفاء عاني القلب مرشفهُ
The pitcher did not heal my thirst
And the cup's draught was not a cure for my aching heart
لم تحل بنت الكرم في قدح
الا ويرشفها وترشفهُ
The daughter of generosity does not fill a goblet
Without sipping it and letting it flow
ولرب شارب قهوة ثملٍ
متغطرف زاهٍ تغطرفه
Many a coffee drinker sips the brew
Arrogantly squandering it and letting it spill
الهو ويلهو في مطارحة
ارعيه لي سمعاً يشنِّفه
He fritters away his time in frolic
Make him listen, so he learns better manners
بيناه العبُ في بلهنيةٍ
اذ جدّ جدّ الشيب مرجفهُ
Play exposed him in foolishness
When grey hair came, dignity prevailed
شيبٌ براسي حلَّ محترماً
لو كان يرعاه مفوّفهُ
Grey hair adorned my head with respect
Had youth looked after it and groomed it
ضيفٌ يوُّقرني وامقته
فعلى مَ انكره واعرفه
A guest who honours me, I welcome
No matter who dislikes him or knows him
ما الممهاة تجرُّ مطرفها
عنه اذا ما لاح مطرفه
The blinkers do not veil the eyes of a beauty
When her glances shine through
امسى يروع الخود ابيضه
ولكان يصبي الرود مغدفه
With a cinched waist and prominent hips
A curve elegantly curved
وغزيِّل يرعى الحشا سغباً
والشيح مرعاه ومألفه
A gazelle grazing the shrubs
And an old man tending his flock and friend
بموارد الريان مورده
وبمنبت الحوذان معلفه
At the meadows he waters his herd
And at the acacia groves he feeds them
اترى يؤنبني مؤنبه
او ان يعنِّفني معنفه
Does the critic scold me
Or the blamer accuse me harshly
مصقول ورد الخد يانعه
قد رحت بالألحاظ اقطفه
The apples of a rosy cheek, ripe to pluck
I went, gathering them in glances
ومدفَّع الاوراك ناء بها
خصرٌ يكلفه مكلفه
With a rear swaying, bent over
A waist wrapped up and bound
ريان حقف الردف مفعمه
ونحيف ظامي الكشح مخطفه
The mounts of a plump thigh swelling
And slender shins of a leg finely sculpted
يمشي على مرح وعامله
خطَّاره واللحظ مرهفه
He walks proudly, carried away
His looks sharp and discerning
اخشى اذا هبَّت يمانية
حذراً عليه اخاف تقصفه
I fear if a south wind blows
I must protect him, anxious it will knock him over
الراح تأخذه وتتركه
والريح تعدله وتعطفه
The winds take and leave him
Blowing him then gently cradling him
ولربَّ دمعٍ سال منحدراً
فيه يكفكفه مكفكفه
And many a tear flows downhill
With a palm wiping it, comforting it
ان عزَّ جمع العين واكفه
فالقلب بالزفرات يخلفه
If gathering them has proven hard
Then sighing releases them
كم مسلكٍ بهواه يمَّمه
اعياه فدفده ونفنفه
Many a path has passion led him on
Exhausting him, weakening and draining him
