وفتيةٍ ساعةً قد اجتمعوا

مثل الدنانير حين تُنتقدُ

And a group of youths who gathered for a while,

Resembling gold dinars when put to the test.

فساقني الحينُ نحو جميعهمُ

إذا يقولون قد دنا الأحَدُ

Fate drove me toward their entire assembly,

Just as they were saying, 'Sunday has drawn near.'

فباكروا الشربَ واقطعوه بهِ

فملتُ للموضع الذي وعدوا

'So begin the drink early and cut the day with it!'

I turned toward the spot upon which they agreed,

عليّ كرزيّةٌ ومِشمَلةٌ

وكَرزَنٌ في حبلهِ مسَدُ

Wearing a rough woolen cloak and a wrapped garment,

Carrying a hatchet with a twisted rope handle.

فكنتُ أدناهم مسابقةً

إلى المكان الذي به اتّعَدوا

I was the foremost of them in racing,

To the location where they had their appointment.

حتى إذا ما اشتروا حوائجهم

والحرصُ يرجيهم لما صمدوا

Until, when they had purchased their supplies,

And greed made them hopeful for what they intended,

قمتُ إليهم فقلتُ أحملها

أنا فعندي لمثلها عددُ

I rose to them and said, 'I will carry it,'

'For I possess the equipment for such a load:'

حبلٌ وثيقٌ وكَرزنٌ وأنا

بحملهِ ناهضٌ ومتّئدُ

'A sturdy rope, a hatchet, and I myself'

'Am capable of rising with it, steady and strong.'

قالوا فخذهُ فأنتَ أنتَ لهُ

سوف نكافيكَ بالذي نجدُ

They said, 'Then take it, for you are the very man for it,'

'We shall repay you with whatever we have.'

سرتُ وساروا إليّ أجمعهم

وقيل لي اصعد صعدتُ ما صعدوا

I walked, and they all journeyed along with me,

And I was told 'Ascend,' so I climbed where they climbed.

إذ الأباريق تُجتلى لهمُ

وفي شجاةٍ ومطِربٌ غرِدُ

There, the ewers were unveiled for them,

Amidst a lute's sorrow and a warbling singer.

بادرتُ نحو الزجاج أغسلهُ

حتى تنقّى كأنّه البَرَدُ

I hastened toward the glass cups to wash them,

Until they were cleansed, shining like hail.

فأعجبَ المردَ خفّتي لهمُ

وليس في خفّتي لهم رشدُ

The beardless youths admired my agility for them,

Yet in my agility for them, there was no virtue.

ما زلتُ أسقيهمُ مشعشعةً

كأنها النارُ حين تتّقدُ

I kept serving them wine mixed with water,

As if it were fire when it blazes up.

حتى رأيتُ الرؤسَ مائلةً

كأنّ من سُكرٍ بها أوَدُ

Until I saw their heads tilting,

As though a crookedness struck them from drink.

واعتقلتِ الألسنُ واستوثقت

فنائمٌ صحبُنا ومستنِدُ

Their tongues were arrested and bound fast,

So our companions fell asleep or leaned back.

قمتُ وبي رعدةٌ لنيكِهمُ

وكلّ مَن دبَّ فهو يرتعدُ

I stood up, trembling with desire to penetrate them,

For every creeping thing must tremble.

فبطّأت بي عن لذّتي تككٌ

ثم لطَفنا بحل ما عقدوا

But drawstring cords delayed me from my pleasure,

So we gently undid what they had tied,

عن ردفِ كلِّ تهتزُّ قامتهُ

كالغصُنِ النضرِ زانهُ الميَدُ

From the buttocks of each one whose stature sways,

Like a fresh branch adorned by its bending.

يا ليلةٌ بتّها أخا طرب

قد دام فيها تمتّعٌ ودَدُ

Oh, what a night I spent as a brother of joy,

In which enjoyment and affection endured.

من ذا إلى ذي قد قصدتُ لأن

أعفِجُ في البيت كلّ من أجدُ

From this one to that one, I aimed my intent,

To mount everyone I found in the house.

حتى إذا ما أفاقَ أوّلهُم

قامَ وفخذاهُ فيهما خَضَدُ

Until, when the first of them awoke,

He stood, his thighs heavy with numbness.

فقمتُ من خيفةٍ أنبّههُم

أقولُ هل نالكم كما أجدُ

I rose in feigned fear to alert them,

Saying, 'Has what I feel afflicted you too?'

أو ذا الذي قد أرى بنا عرَقٌ

قالوا نراهُ كأنّه زبَدُ

'Or is this sweat that I see upon us?'

They said, 'We see it looking like foam.'

فحين أبصرتُهم قد انتبهوا

ذهبتُ أعدو لحاجةٍ أرِدُ

So when I saw that they had become aware,

I ran off, pretending to fetch something needed.

حتى إذا المجلس استجدّ بهم

غامضتُهم والكؤسُ تُطردُ

Until, when the gathering began anew for them,

I feigned ignorance of them as the cups circulated,

على أدقّ الثيابِ مسبَلةٍ

برّاقةِ اللونِ كلّها جددُ

Over the finest of draped garments,

Sparkling in color, all of them new.

فقيلَ من أنتَ قلتُ خادمكم

لا عقلٌ يُخشى له ولا قودُ

It was asked, 'Who are you?' I said, 'Your servant,'

'One with no mind to be feared, nor seeking revenge.'

ثمّ تعشّقتُ وامقاً طرباً

يا ليتَ سلمى تفي بما تعدُ

Then I fell into love, passionate and ecstatic—

Oh, would that Salma fulfills what she promises.