غَدَت أُمُّ دَفرٍ وَهِيَ غَيرُ حَميدَةٍ

مُغَنِّيَةً عَوّادَةً في المَجالِسِ

The mother of Dafr has become immoral

A wanton singer in gatherings

تَعودُ عَلى مَن لَم يَمُت بِحِمامِهِ

وَتُعلي فَقيراً عُدَّ بَعضَ المَفالِسِ

Accustomed to those not dead in their tents

And raising up a pauper counted among the bankrupt

وَما نَفسُ حَسّانَ الَّذي شاعَ جُبنُهُ

بِأَسلَمَ مِن نَفسِ الكَميِّ المُخالِسِ

And the soul of the cowardly Hassân is not

More peaceful than the deceitful flatterer

فَيا لَيتَ أَني لَم أَكُن في بَريَّةٍ

وَإِلّا فَوَحشيّاً بِإِحدى الأَمالِسِ

Oh would that I had not been in the wilderness

Otherwise a beast in one of the dens

يُسَوِّفُ أَزهارَ الرَبيعِ تَعِلَّةً

وَيَأمَنُ في البَيداءِ شَرَّ المَجالِسِ

Postponing the flowers of spring on pretext

And feeling safe in the wilderness from gatherings

وَمَن يَسكُنِ الأَمصارَ لا يَعدَمِ الأَذى

بِإِبليسَ مَشفوعاً بِمِثلِ الأَبالِسِ

Whoever inhabits cities will not lack harm

With Satan accompanied by the like of imps

يُساوِرُ أسداً مِن غُواةِ مُساوِرٍ

وَطُلسَ ذِئابٍ مِن رِجالِ الطَيالِسِ

Consorting with a lion from the arrogant youth

And a pack of wolves from the men of mischief

مَتّى ما تُصِب يَوماً طَعاماً لِظالِمٍ

فَقُم عَنهُ وَاِفغَر بَعدَهُ فَمَ قالِسِ

Whenever you serve food to an unjust person

Rise from it, and afterwards gape with a toothless mouth

وَما جاوَزَت خَيلٌ خَوائِلَ أُلَساً

إِلى الرومِ إِلّا بِالشُرورِ الأَوالِسِ

And no horses have crossed the stony plains

To Rome except with the foremost evils

أُدالِسُ نَفسي ثُمَّ أَظلِمُ صُحبَتي

إِذا رُمتُ خِلّاً مِنهُمُ لَم يُدالِسِ

I beguile my soul then oppress my company

When I become free of them, they do not beguile