تَوَخَّ بِهَجرٍ أُمَّ لَيلى فَإِنَّها

عَجوزٌ أَضَلَّت حَيَّ طَسمٍ وَمارِبِ

Beware of abandoning the mother of Layla, for she is

An old woman who has lost the thread of logical judgment.

دَبيبُ نِمالٍ عَن عُقارٍ تَخالُها

بِجِسمِكَ شَرٌّ مِن دَبيبِ العَقارِبِ

The creeping of a soft bed is better than her company,

For your body, her harm is worse than scorpion stings.

وَلَو أَنَّها كَالماءِ طِلقٌ لَأَوجَبَت

قِلاها أَصيلاتُ النُهى وَالتَجارِبِ

Had she been easy like water, her meetings would necessitate

Avoidance by those of intelligence and experience.

تُحَيّي وُجوهَ الشَربِ فِعلَ مُسالِمٍ

يُضاحِكُهُ وَالكَيدُ كَيدُ مُحارِبِ

She enlivens the faces of drinkers through harmless actions,

While plotting like one who wages war.

إِذا قُتِلَت خافَ الرَشادُ جِنايَةً

فَكانَ مِنَ الفِتيانِ أَوَّلَ هارِبِ

When she is killed, even the righteous fear unjust blame,

And among the youths, he was the first to flee.

عَدُوَّةُ لُبٍّ سَلَّتِ السَيفَ وَاِعتَلَت

بِهِ القَومَ إِلّا أَنَّها لَم تُضارِبِ

The enemy of resolve drew the sword and attacked the people with it

Yet did not engage in combat.

وَما شامَتِ الهِندِيَّ في الكَفِّ عَنوَةً

وَلَكِن ثَنَتهُ في أَنامِلَ ضارِبِ

The Indian was not arrogant in his palm,

But rather bent his fingers around the striker.

فَلَو كانَ سَرحُ العَقلِ أَذوادَ عامِرٍ

رَمَت كُلَّ ذَودٍ مِن سَفاهٍ بِخارِبِ

If the flock of reason were camels of 'Amir,

Each foolish sheep would strike ruins.

فَما أَبعَدَت إِلّا أَجَلَّ مُقارِنٍ

وَلا بَلَّغَت إِلّا خَسيسَ المَآرِبِ

She instigated nothing but death for a neighbor

And accomplished nothing but the lowest of schemes.

تُعَرّي الفَتى مِن ثَوبِهِ وَهوَ غافِلٌ

وَتوقِعُ حَربَ الدَهرِ بَينَ الأَقارِبِ

She strips the young man of his clothes while he is unaware

And provokes the war of fate between relatives.

تَأَلّى الحِجى وَاِستَشهَدَ السِكرَ أَنَّها

ذَميمَةُ غِبٍّ لا تَحِلُّ لِشارِبِ

Proofs have been established and wine admits that she

Is a slanderer of absence unlawful for the drinker.