ما بالُ قوَّادي وعلقي

قد علقا أبوابَ رزقي

What is with my pimps and chains?

They have chained the doors of my sustenance,

وتعاهدا وتعاقد

وتحالفا أيمان صدقَ

And conspired, contracted,

And swore oaths of sincerity,

إن تتركاني تائباً

من فاتحتي عن كل فسقِ

That if they leave me repentant,

From my lustfulness of all immorality,

وتخلياني مُثُلَةَ

للناسِ في غربٍ وشرقِ

And leave me exposed,

To people in east and west,

قد صرتُ صوفيا لِفَق

ري منهما والجلدُ دلقي

I have become a Sufi in poverty,

Pleasing them while my skin is torn.

وعمامتي رأسي وجمجم

تي الثرى والكبرُ خُلقي

My turban is my head and my skull,

Rubbing the ground while old age is my nature.

فأنا النذير لمن غدا

متعرضاً يوماً لعشقِ

So I am the warner for whoever tomorrow,

Comes exposed to love someday,

كم ليلةٍ ضَيَّعتُ فيه

ا حُرمتي وأضعت ورقي

How many nights have I wasted,

In which I lost my dignity and wasted my paper,

وُصفعت حين سكرتُ من

كأسٍ بها المحبُوبُ يَسقى

And got slapped when I got drunk

From a cup in which the beloved is served,

وإذا سكرت فإنني

مُستَهلِكٌ مالي وعتقي

And when I get drunk, I

Am squandering my money and emancipation.