عَزَّ الشَرابُ فَأَقبَلَت مَشروبَةٌ

هَدَرَ الدِنانُ بِها هَديرَ الأَفحُلِ

The wine was scarce, so a drink was brought around,

The jars rattled with the sound of rushing streams.

وَتَغَيَّظَت أَيّامَها في شارِفٍ

نُقِلَت قَرائِنُهُ وَلَمّا يُنقَلِ

Her days were embittered at the brink of night,

Her friends were removed and none replaced them.

وَتَرى القِلالَ بِحافَتَيهِ كَأَنَّها

قُلُصٌ يَسُفنَ فُروجَ قَرمٍ مُرسَلِ

You see the leather bags on its sides as if

They were robes trailing from an untied boat.

حَتّى تَصَبَّبَ ماؤُهُ عَن جَلفِهِ

ضَخمُ المُقَدَّمِ سَحبَلِيُّ الأَسفَلِ

Until its water spilled out from its upper rim,

With a bold front and the lower part spreading.

وَكَأَنَّ أَصواتَ الغُواةِ تَعودُهُ

أَصواتُ نَوحٍ أَو جَلاجِلُ عَوكَلِ

And it seemed the sounds of the revelers recall to it

Sounds of wailing or bells around a camel’s neck.

نُبِّئتُ عَبداً مِن عَتيبٍ سَبَّني

سَفَهاً وَيَحسِبُ أَنَّهُ لَم يَفعَلِ

I was told of a slave from ‘Utayb who insulted me,

Recklessly thinking he had done no wrong.

عَبداً تَقاعَسَ مِن عَتيبٍ رَبُّهُ

وَاللُؤمَ عَلَّقَهُ مَكانَ المِحمَلِ

A slave from ‘Utayb who failed his lord,

And whom cowardice had taken the place of honor.