وَخَيمَةِ ناطورٍ بِرَأسِ مُنيفَةٍ
تَهُمُّ يَدا مَن رامَها بِزَليلِ
Many a watchman's hut atop a towering peak,
Whose steep slope threatens the climber's hands with a slip.
إِذا عَرَضَتها الشَمسُ فاءَت ظِلالُها
وَإِن وَجَهَتها آذَنَت بِدُخولِ
When the sun crosses it, its shadows shift away,
And if you face it directly, it signals an open entry.
حَطَطنا بِها الأَثقالَ فَلَّ هَجيرَةٍ
عَبورِيَّةٍ تُذكى بِغَيرِ فَتيلِ
We unloaded our burdens there at the height of the midday heat,
A Sirius-scorched heat, kindled without a wick.
تَأَيَّت قَليلاً ثُمَّ جاءَت بِمَذقَةٍ
مِنَ الظِلِّ في رَثِّ الأَباءِ ضَئيلِ
The shade lingered a while, then offered a meager mixture,
Scanty and thin amidst the tattered covering.
كَأَنّا لَدَيها بَينَ عِطفَي نَعامَةٍ
جَفا زَورُها عَن مَبرَكٍ وَمَقيلِ
As if we were, inside it, huddled between an ostrich's wings,
Whose breast stays lifted, shunning the resting ground.
حَلَبتُ لِأَصحابي بِها دِرَّةَ الصِبا
بِصَفراءَ مِن ماءِ الكُرومِ شَمولِ
There I milked for my companions the flowing udder of youth,
With a golden vintage, juice of the vine, chilled by the north wind.
إِذا ما أَتَت دونَ اللَهاةِ مِنَ الفَتى
دَعا هَمُّهُ مِن صَدرِهِ بِرَحيلِ
When it passes just beyond the young man's throat,
His worries summon a departure from his chest.
فَلَمّا تَوَفّى اللَيلُ جُنحاً مِنَ الدُجى
تَصابَيتُ وَاستَجمَلتُ غَيرَ جَميلِ
And when the night had fully claimed its portion of the dark,
I played the youth, finding beauty in what is not deemed fair.
وَعاطَيتُ مَن أَهوى الحَديثَ كَما بَدا
وَذَلَّلتُ صَعباً كانَ غَيرَ ذَليلِ
I exchanged conversation freely with the one I desire,
And tamed a wild stubbornness that would not yield.
فَغَنّى وَقَد وَسَّدتُ يُسرايَ خَدَّهُ
أَلا رُبَّما طالَبتُ غَيرَ مُنيلِ
He sang while I pillowed his cheek upon my left hand:
"How often have I sought favor from one who grants nothing!"
فَأَنزَلتُ حاجاتي بِحَقوَي مُساعِدٍ
وَإِن كانَ أَدنى صاحِبٍ وَدَخيلِ
So I settled my desires upon the waist of a compliant aid,
Though he was already the closest of friends and intimates.
وَأَصبَحتُ أَلحى السُكرَ وَالسُكرُ مُحسِنٌ
أَلا رُبَّ إِحسانٍ عَلَيكَ شَقيلِ
I awoke blaming the drunkenness, yet intoxication is a benefactor,
For truly, some favors weigh heavy upon the soul.
سَأَبغي الغِنى إِمّا نَديمَ خَليفَةٍ
يُقيمُ سَواءً أَو مُخيفَ سَبيلِ
I shall seek wealth either as a Caliph's boon companion,
Who rules with equity, or as a terror on the highway,
بِكُلِّ فَتىً لا يُستَطارُ جَنانُهُ
إِذا نَوَّهَ الزَحفانِ بِاسمِ قَتيلِ
Accompanied by brave youths whose hearts never take flight,
When the two marching armies cry out the name of the slain.
لِنَخمُسَ مالَ اللَهِ مِن كُلِّ فاجِرٍ
وَذي بِطنَةٍ لِلطَيِّباتِ أَكولِ
That we may seize God's tithe from every corrupt sinner,
And from every glutton who gorges on the finest things.
أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ المالَ عَونٌ عَلى التُقى
وَلَيسَ جَوادٌ مُعدَمٌ كَبَخيلِ
Do you not see that wealth is an aid to piety,
And that a destitute, generous man is nothing like a miser?
