لَقَد صَوَّتَ الناعي بِفَقدِ أَخي النَدى

نِداءً لَعَمري لا أَبا لَكَ يُسمَعُ

The mourner cried out at the loss of my brother, dew

A cry, by my life, you cannot fail to hear

فَقُمتُ وَقَد كادَت لِرَوعَةِ هُلكِهِ

وَفَزعَتِهِ نَفسي مِنَ الحُزنِ تَتبَعُ

I rose up, though at his tragic death

My soul almost followed his terror and panic

إِلَيهِ كَأَنّي حَوبَةً وَتَخَشُّعاً

أَخو الخَمرِ يَسمو تارَةً ثُمَّ يُصرَعُ

To him, as if I were humble and devout

Wine's brother, rising at times, then struck down

فَمَن لِقِرى الأَضيافِ بَعدَكَ إِن هُمُ

قُبالَكَ حَلّوا ثُمَّ نادوا فَأَسمَعوا

Who now remains for the homes of guests, if they

Came to you, then called out and heard?

كَعَهدِهِمِ إِذ أَنتَ حَيٌّ وَإِذ لَهُم

لَدَيكَ مَنالاتٌ وَرِيٌّ وَمَشبَعُ

As was their custom, when you lived, as they had

With you bounty, water and plenty

وَمَن لِمُهِمٍّ حَلَّ بِالجارِ فادِحٍ

وَأَمرٍ وَهى مِن صاحِبٍ لَيسَ يُرقَعُ

Who remains for a worried guest, fallen on hardship

And matters beyond a companion's mending?

وَمَن لِجَليسٍ مُفحِشٍ لِجَليسِهِ

عَلَيهِ بِجَهلٍ جاهِداً يَتَسَرَّعُ

Who remains for a vulgar drinking companion, attacking

His companion in crass ignorance?

وَلَو كُنتَ حَيّاً كانَ إِطفاءُ جَهلِهِ

بِحِلمِكَ في رِفقٍ وَحِلمُكَ أَوسَعُ

If you lived, your patience would have dampened his foolishness

With gentle, great forbearance

وَكُنتُ إِذا ما خِفتُ إِردافَ عُسرَةٍ

أَظَلُّ لَها مِن خيفَةٍ أَتَقَنَّعُ

Whenever I feared the specter of hardship

I sought refuge in it from dire want

دَعَوتُ لَها صَخرَ النَدى فَوَجَدتُهُ

لَهُ موسَرٌ يُنفى بِهِ العُسرُ أَجمَعُ

I called to the rock of dew, and found

In it ease to banish all troubles