دَعيني أَصِب مِن مُتعَةٍ قَبلَ رَقدَةٍ

دَعيني أَصِب مِن مُتعَةٍ قَبلَ رَقدَةٍ

تَكادُ لَها نَفسُ الشَقيقِ تَزولُ

تَكادُ لَها نَفسُ الشَقيقِ تَزولُ

Let me enjoy some pleasure before a slumber

Let me sip some pleasure before a slumber,

That nearly makes a brother's soul depart.

Which nearly makes the soul of the passionate vanish.

وَإِنّي لآتي الأَمرَ أَعرِفُ غَيَّهُ

وَإِنّي لآتي الأَمرَ أَعرِفُ غَيَّهُ

مِراراً وَحِلمي في الرِجالِ أَصيلُ

مِراراً وَحِلمي في الرِجالِ أَصيلُ

And I do undertake a deed, knowing its folly,

And I do understand matters, know their perils,

Repeatedly, though my judgment is firmly rooted among men.

Though often my forbearance with men is innate.

وَلَما رَأَيتُ الدارَ وَحشاً بِها المَها

وَلَما رَأَيتُ الدارَ وَحشاً بِها المَها

تَرودُ وَخيطانُ النَعامِ تَجولُ

تَرودُ وَخيطانُ النَعامِ تَجولُ

And when I saw the abode deserted, with oryx there

When I saw the abode desolate, with wild beasts prowling,

Roaming, and flocks of ostriches wandering,

And with the running ostrich and wandering antelopes.

ذَكَرتُ بِها عَيشاً فَقُلتُ لِصاحِبي

ذَكَرتُ بِها عَيشاً فَقُلتُ لِصاحِبي

كَأَن لَم يَكُن ما كانَ حينَ يَزولُ

كَأَن لَم يَكُن ما كانَ حينَ يَزولُ

I recalled a life lived there, and said to my companion:

I remembered the life in it and said to my friend:

What once was seems never to have been, once it passes away.

“As if it had never been, when it would disappear.”

وَما حاجَتي لَو ساعَدَ الدَهرُ بِالمُنى

وَما حاجَتي لَو ساعَدَ الدَهرُ بِالمُنى

كَعابٌ عَلَيها لُؤلُؤٌ وَشَكولُ

كَعابٌ عَلَيها لُؤلُؤٌ وَشَكولُ

And what do I desire, if time should grant my wishes?

And I have no need, had time lent me success,

A nubile maiden, pearl-adorned and coquettish.

Like pearls in abundance and perfumed musk.

بَدا لِيَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ يَقدَحُ في الصَفا

بَدا لِيَ أَنَّ الدَهرَ يَقدَحُ في الصَفا

وَأَنَّ بَقائي إِن حَيِيتُ قَليلُ

وَأَنَّ بَقائي إِن حَيِيتُ قَليلُ

It became clear to me that time chips away at hard rock,

It seemed to me that time caused confusion in good fellowship

And that my remaining life, if I live, is short.

And that my remaining alive was little, if I lived.

فَعِش خائِفاً لِلمَوتِ أَو غَيرَ خائِف

فَعِش خائِفاً لِلمَوتِ أَو غَيرَ خائِف

عَلى كُلِّ نَفسٍ لِلحِمامِ دَليلُ

عَلى كُلِّ نَفسٍ لِلحِمامِ دَليلُ

So live fearing death, or unafraid:

So live in fear of death or without fear,

Death has a guide to every soul.

Upon every soul the turtledoves descend.

خَليلُكَ ما قَدَّمتَ مِن عَمَلِ التُقى

خَليلُكَ ما قَدَّمتَ مِن عَمَلِ التُقى

وَلَيسَ لِأَيّامِ المَنونِ خَليلُ

وَلَيسَ لِأَيّامِ المَنونِ خَليلُ

Your friend is the pious work you have sent ahead;

O friend, you have not presented acts of piety,

And the days of death have no friend.

And there are no friends for the days of death.

أَقولُ لِقَلبي وَهوَ يَرنو إِلى الصِبا

أَقولُ لِقَلبي وَهوَ يَرنو إِلى الصِبا

عَلامَ التَصابي وَالحَوادِثُ غولُ

عَلامَ التَصابي وَالحَوادِثُ غولُ

I say to my heart as it gazes toward youth:

I say to my heart, as it yearns for youth:

Why play at youth, when calamities are a ghoul?

“Why so much discord and shocking events?”

لَعَلَّكَ تَرجو أَن تَعيشَ مُخَلَّداً

لَعَلَّكَ تَرجو أَن تَعيشَ مُخَلَّداً

أَبى ذاكَ شُبّانٌ لَنا وَكُهولُ

أَبى ذاكَ شُبّانٌ لَنا وَكُهولُ

Perhaps you hope to live forever;

Do you hope to live forever

Young men of ours and middle-aged men have belied that hope.

When there have refused that the young and the old?