وذي ضغنٍ كففتُ النفسَ عنهُ

وإني في مساءتِهِ مقيتُ

I held back my soul from the melody,

Though I hated being at odds with it.

يَبِيتُ اللّيلَ مُرتفعا ثقيلاً

على فُرُشِ الفتاةِ ولا أبيتُ

It would spend the night high and heavy

On the bed of a girl with whom I would not spend the night.

وسيفي صارمٌ لا عيبَ فيه

ويمنعني من الرَّهَقِ النبيتُ

My sword is flawless,

And saves me from spending nights awake.

بأُسدٍ لا تنهنهُ عن هواها

بها مِن دونِ أشبلها نُهيتُ

With a lioness whom cubs do not make timid

I was forbidden from approaching her cubs.

متى ما يأتِ يومي لا تجدني

بمالي حينَ أترُكُهُ شَقِيتُ

Whenever my day comes, you will not find me

Regretful for the money I will leave behind.

وفتيانٍ أطالوا اللهوَ عندي

فابوا حامدينَ وما خزيتُ

And the youths who lingered with me too long amusing themselves

Departed ashamed, and I did not disgrace them.

وخَيلٍ بعضُها حربٌ لبعضٍ

بحدِّ ظباتها أصلاً صُليتُ

And horses, some of which make war on others

With their gleaming swords, I originally reconciled.