وليلة حسبت فيها نفسي

من ظلمة كأنّني في رمس

One night when I thought myself

In darkness, as though I were in Remus

أطول من تاريخ ملك الفرس

كأنها بعض ليالي الحبس

Longer than the history of the king of Persia

As though it were some of the nights of imprisonment

صادفني قبل مسا الممَسّي

ذو أيد في الظهر يحدو نحسي

I was met before the reddening of the evening

By one with hands on my back, increasing my misfortune

كأنّما آثارُه في الحسّ

وخز الأشافي اختلفت في عرس

As though his traces were in feeling

And the stings of scandals were different in celebration

في ليلة ذابت بهجر الشمس

فكلّ هذا ما جنى لي ضرسي

On a night when the joy of sunrise melted away

So all this is what my foolishness reaped for me

من أكل ما لاح بغير مكس

من جورنج قد قلي ومحشي

From eating what was offered without reservation

Of stewed chicken and stuffed zucchini

وباقلي مطيّب وخسّ

وكامخ من نوع كل جنس

And seasoned okra and lettuce

And truffles of every kind

أدسّه في البندق كل دسي

لسا وفي اللس فناء النفس

I stuffed into chickpeas all my coveting

Still, in craving is the annihilation of the soul

ولم أقل في وقت شبعي بسّي

هذا هو الجهل وعين الوكس

And I did not say in my time of satiation, "Enough!"

This is ignorance and the essence of stupidity

ولم أجد لي مشتكى في الإنس

غير أبي بشر الطبيب القس

And I could not find anyone among mankind to complain to

Other than my father Bishr the doctor, the priest

أحذق خلق الله بالمجس

وبالصفات في دقيق الحدس

Most skilled of God's creations in examination

And in qualities of precise discernment

ينطق عن تجربة ودرسِ

وحكمةٍ مسطورةٍ في طرش

Who speaks from experience and study

And recorded wisdom in composition