مَن مُعيني عَلى السَهَر

وَعَلى الغَمِّ وَالفِكَر

Who will help me withstand

The sleeplessness, worries and thoughts

وابَلائي مِن شادِنٍ

كَبَّرَ الحُبَّ إِذ كَبِر

And the torrents of misfortune

That made love grow as it grew old

قامَ كَالغُصنِ في النَقا

يُتبِعُ الشَمسَ بِالقَمَر

It rose like a branch in the soft sand

Following the sun with the moon

غافِلاً عَن بَلِيَّتي

قائِلاً لي وَما شَعَر

Oblivious of my misery

Saying to me, “Do not be aware!”

شاطِرٌ لي مُقَطِّبٌ

فاسِقُ الفِعلِ وَالنَظَر

A companion who hurts me

Acts wrongly in deed and sight

خَنجَرِيُّ اليَمينِ إِن

سِمتَهُ قُبلَةً نَفَر

My Yemeni dagger, if

Its aim became an aversion

قَد سَقاني المُدامَ وَال

لَيلُ بِالصُبحِ مُؤتَزِر

Wine and night have quenched me

Dawn in the garb of eve

وَالثُرَيّا كَنَورِ غُص

نٍ عَلى الغَربِ قَد نُثِر

And Pleiades like the lamps

Of brides scattered in the west

صاحِ إِن أَمكَنَتكَ لَذ

ذَةُ عَيشٍ فَلا تَذَر

Shout, if you can find

The pleasure of life, do not neglect

وَتَقَدَّم وَلا تَقِف

فازَ بِالحُبِّ مَن جَسَر

Go forward, do not stand still

For the daring win love

كَم عَذولٍ عَلى الخَطي

ئَةِ وَاللَهُ قَد غَفَر

How many prudes blame

Vice, and God has forgiven