لي صاحِبٌ قَد لامَني وَزادا
في تَركِيَ الصَبوحَ ثُمَّ عادا
I have a friend who blamed me and became more adamant
For leaving the dawn gathering, then he returned
وَقالَ لا تَشرَبُ بِالنَهارِ
وَفي ضِياءِ الفَجرِ وَالأَسحارِ
And said, “Do not drink in the day
And in the glow of dawn and nightfall
إِذا وَشى بِاللَيلِ صُبحٌ فَاِفتَضَح
وَذَكَّرَ الطائِرَ شَجوٌ فَصَدَح
When the dawn spreads darkness in the night
A warbling bird then sings loudly
وَالنَجمُ في حَوضِ الغُروبِ وارِدُ
وَالفَجرُ في إِثرِ الظَلامِ طارِدُ
The stars descend into the basin of sunset
And dawn pursues the darkness
وَنَفَّضَ اللَيلُ عَلى الوَردِ النَدى
وَحَرَّكَت أَغصانَهُ ريحُ الصَبا
The night sheds dew on the roses
And the morning breeze moves their branches
وَقَد بَدَت فَوقَ الهِلالِ كُرَتُه
كَهامَةِ الأَسوَدِ شابَت لِحيَتُه
The crescent appeared over the new moon
Like the turban of a young black man, his beard has grayed
فَنَوَّرَ الدارَ بِبَعضِ نورِهِ
وَاللَيلُ قَد أُزيحَ مِن سُتورِهِ
It illuminated the house with some of its light
And the night was removed from its veils
وَقَدَّتِ المَجَرَّةُ الظَلاما
تَحسَبُها في لَيلِها إِذا ما
The galaxy scattered the darkness
You would think it a sparkling brook when
تَنَفَّسَ الصُبحُ وَلَمّا يَشتَعِل
بَينَ النُجومِ مِثلَ فَرقٍ مُكتَهِل
The dawn sighs but does not flare up
Among the stars like an extinguished coal
وَقالَ شُربُ اللَيلِ قَد آذانا
وَطَمَسَ العُقولَ وَالأَذهانا
And he said, “Drinking at night has harmed us
And confused minds and thoughts
وَشَكَتِ الجِنُّ إِلى إِبليسِ
لِأَنَّهُم في أَضيَقِ الحُبوسِ
The jinn complained to Iblis
For they are in the narrowest prison
أَما تَرى البُستانَ كَيفَ نَوَّرا
وَنَشَرَ المَنثورُ بُرداً أَصفَرا
Do you not see the garden, how it illuminated
And the blossoms spread out yellow carpets
وَضَحِكَ الوَردُ عَلى الشَقائِقِ
وَاِعتَنَقَ القَطرَ اِعتِناقَ الوامِقِ
The flowers laughed at the anemones
And the drops embraced like the passionate
في رَوضَةٍ كَحُلَّةِ العَروسِ
وَخَدَمٍ كَهامَةِ الطاوُوسِ
In a garden like the dress of a bride
And servants like the peacock’s turban
وَياسَمينٍ في ذُرى الأَغصانِ
مُنتَظِماً كَقِطَعِ العِقيانِ
With jasmine on the branches
Arranged like beads on a rosary
وَالسَروُ مِثلُ قِطَعِ الزَبَرجَدِ
قَدِ اِستَمَدَّ الماءَ مِن تُربٍ نَدي
The cypress is like pieces of emerald
It drew water from moist soil
وَفَرَشَ الخَشخاشُ جَيباً وَفَتَق
كَأَنَّهُ مَصاحِفٌ بيضُ الوَرَق
The poppies spread out pockets and opened up
Like white paper manuscripts
حَتّى إِذا ما اِنتَشَرَت أَوراقُهُ
وَكادَ أَن يُرى إِلَينا ساقُه
Until its leaves spread out
And its trunk almost appeared to us
صارَ كَأَقداحٍ مِنَ البَلَّورِ
كَأَنَّما تَجَسَّمَت مِن نورِ
It looked like crystal decanters
As if it took physical form from light
وَبَعضُهُ عُريانُ مِن أَثوابِهِ
قَد أَخجَلَ الأَعيُنَ مِن أَصحابِهِ
Some of it bare of its clothes
Ashamed the eyes of its owners
تُبصِرُهُ بَعدَ اِنتِشارِ الوَردِ
مِثلَ الدَبابيسِ بِأَيدي الجُندِ
After the roses bloomed you see it
Like fireflies in the soldiers’ hands
وَالسَوسَنُ الآزِرُ مَنشورُ الحُلَل
كَقُطُنٍ قَد مَسَّهُ بَعضُ البَلَل
The resilient lilies, clothes opened wide
Like cotton touched by some dampness
نَوَّرَ في حاشِيَتَي بُستانِهِ
وَدَخَلَ البُستانُ في ضَمانِهِ
It illuminated the edges of its garden
And the garden fell under its guarantee
وَقَد بَدَت فيهِ ثِمارُ الكَبَرِ
كَأَنَّها حَمائِمٌ مِن عَنبَرِ
And the fruits of autumn appeared in it
As if they were amber pigeons
وَحَلَّقَ البَهارُ فَوقَ الآسِ
جُمجُمَةٌ كَهامَةِ الشَمّاسِ
The bee circles over the myrtle
A skull like the turban of a deacon
حِبالُ نَسجٍ مِثلُ شَيبِ النَصَفِ
وَجَوهَرٌ مِن زَهَرٍ مُختَلِفِ
Ropes of spinning like half gray hair
And essence from different flowers
وَجُلَّنارٌ مِثلَ جَمرِ الخَدِّ
أَو مِثلُ أَعرافِ دُيوكِ الهِندِ
Pomegranate like hot coals
Or like the combs of Indian roosters
وَالأُقحُوانُ كَالثَنايا الغُرِّ
قَد صَقَلَت نُوارَها بِالقَطرِ
Quince polished by droplets
Tell me, is this more beautiful in the night
قُل لي أَهَذا حَسَنٌ بِاللَيلِ
وَيلِيَ مِمّا تَشتَهي وَعَولي
And defers what you desire and recur
And repeats landscapes and descriptions
وَأَكثَرَ الفُصولَ وَالأَوصافا
فَقُلتُ قَد جَنَّبتُكَ الخِلافا
So I said, “I have spared you disagreement
Stay with us until dawn breaks forth
بِت عِندَنا حَتّى إِذا الصُبحُ سُفَر
كَأَنَّهُ جَدوَلُ ماءٍ مُنفَجِر
Like an overflowing stream
We get up to food prepared for us
قُمنا إِلى زادٍ لَنا مُعَدِّ
وَقَهوَةٍ صَرّاعَةٍ لِلجَلَدِ
And strong black coffee
Its grains poured out
كَأَنَّما حَبابُها المَنثورُ
كَواكِبٌ في فَلَكٍ تَدورُ
Like stars rotating in a sky
And do not say “I’m used to my house”
وَلا تَقُل لَقَد أَلِفتُ مَنزِلي
فَتُفسِدَ القَولَ بِعُذرٍ مُشكِلِ
And spoil the words with a difficult excuse”
So he said, “This is the height of madness
فَقالَ هَذا أَوَّلُ الجُنونِ
مَتى ثَوى الضَبُّ بِوادي النونِ
When did the wolf live in the valley of Nun
I invited you to the dawn gathering but no
دَعَوتُكُم إِلى الصَبوحِ ثُمَّ لا
أَكونُ فيهِ إِذ أَجَبتُم أَوَّلا
I am not there when you first responded
I have something I must take care of
لي حاجَةٌ لا بُدَّ مِن قَضائِها
فَتَستَريحُ النَفسُ مِن عَنائِها
So my soul rests from its troubles
Then I come as dawn holds the reins
ثُمَّ أَجي وَالصُبحَ في عِنانِ
مِن قَبلِ أَن يُبدَأَ بِالآذانِ
Before the call to prayer begins”
Then he went promising the early morn
ثُمَّ مَضى يَعِدُ بِالبُكورِ
وَهَزَّ رَأسَ فَرِحٍ مَسرورِ
And shook his head happily pleased
So I got up from him worried and anxious
فَقُمتُ مِنهُ خائِفاً مُرتاعا
وَقُلتُ ناموا وَيحَكُم سِراعا
And said “Sleep, enough of you, hurry!”
And we listened for sounds by the door
وَنَحنُ نُصغي السَمعَ نَحوَ البابِ
فَلَم نَجِد حِسّاً مِنَ الكَذّابِ
But heard no traces of the liar
Until the redness of dawn emerged
حَتّى تَبَدَّت حُمرَةُ الصَباحِ
وَأَوجَعَ النَدمانَ سوطُ الراحِ
And the whip of the wind pained the regretful
The sun rose over the heads
وَقامَتِ الشَمسُ عَلى الرُؤوسِ
وَمَلَكَ السُكرُ عَلى النُفوسِ
And drunkenness ruled over the souls
He came with a cold smiling face
جاءَ بِوَجهٍ بارِدِ التَبَسُّمِ
مُفتَضِحٍ لِما جَنى مُدَمَّمِ
Exposed by what he had gained, blamed
Stumbling through the house from his shyness
يَعثُرُ وَسطَ الدارِ مِن حَيائِهِ
وَيَكشِفُ الأَهدابَ مِن وَرائِهِ
Lifting the eye covers from behind him
The people teased him until it was clear
تَعَطعَطَ القَومُ بِهِ حَتّى بَدَر
وَاِفتَتَحَ القَولَ بِعَيٍّ وَحَصَر
And he began speaking lamely, embarrassed
So the eyes take from sleep
لِتَأخُذَ العَينُ مِنَ الرُقادِ
حَظّاً إِلى تَعلِيَةِ المُنادي
A share of the caller to prayers cry
So we wiped our resting place
فَمَسَحَت جُنوبُنا المَضاجِعا
وَلَم أَكُن لِلنَومِ قَبلَ طائِعا
And I was not compliant to sleep before
There was thick darkness hovering
ثُمَّةَ قُمنا وَالظَلامُ مُطرِقُ
وَالطَيرُ في أَوكارِها لا تَنطِقُ
And the birds in their nests did not speak
The stars appeared in their darkness
وَقَد تَبَدّى النَجمُ في سَوادِهِ
كَحُلَّةِ الراهِبِ في حِدادِهِ
Like the mourning clothes of a monk
And he said, “O people, hear me
وَقالَ يا قَومُ اِسمَعوا كَلامي
لا تُسرِعوا ظُلماً إِلى مَلامي
Do not hastily blame me”
So he came up with a lying story
فَجاءَنا بِقِصَّةٍ كَذّابَه
لَم يَفتَحِ القَلبُ لَها أَبوابَه
The heart did not open its doors to it
He excused the latecomers on the seventh day
فَعَذَرَ العِنّينَ يَومَ السابِعِ
إِلى عَروسٍ ذاتِ حَظٍّ ضائِعِ
To a bride of misfortune
They said, “drink” and I said, “we have drunk
قالوا اِشرَبوا فَقُلتُ قَد شَرِبنا
أَتَيتَنا وَنَحنُ قَد سَكِرنا
You came to us and we were already drunk”
He did not stop behaving peculiarly
فَلَم يَزَل مِن شَأنِهِ مُنفَرِدا
يَرفَعُ بِالكَأسِ إِلى فيهِ يَدا
Raising the cup to his mouth
While the people were merry or
وَالقَومُ مِن مُستَيقِظٍ نَشوانِ
أَو غَرِقٍ في نَومِهِ وَسنانِ
Drowned in their sleep and forgetting,
As if he were the last horse on the track
كَأَنَّهُ آخِرُ خَيلِ الحَلبَه
لَهُ مِنَ السَوّاسِ أَلفُ ضَربَه
Beaten a thousand times by the trainer
Struggling as if he has succeeded
مُجتَهِداً كَأَنَّهُ قَد أَفلَحا
يَطلَعُ في آثارِها مُفَتِّحا
Searching for their ruins insistently
So listen, I blame the dawn gatherings
فَاِسمَع فَإِنّي لِلصَبوحِ عائِبُ
عِندِيَ مِن أَخبارِهِ العَجائِبُ
I have wondrous stories about them
If you want to drink at dawn
إِذا أَرَدتَ الشُربَ عِندَ الفَجرِ
وَالنَجمُ في لُجَّةِ لَيلٍ يَسري
While the stars wander in a dark night
There was cool wind shuddering
وَكانَ بَردٌ بِالنَسيمِ يَرتَعِد
وَريقُهُ عَلى الثَنايا قَد جَمَد
His saliva frozen on his gums
The boy was bored and mumbling
وَلِلغُلامِ ضَجرَةٌ وَهَمهَمَه
وَشَتمَةٌ في صَدرِهِ مُجَمجَمَه
With anger brewing in his chest
Walking without legs from drowsiness
يَمشي بِلا رِجلٍ مِنَ النُعاسِ
وَيَدفُقُ الكَأسَ عَلى الجُلّاسِ
Spilling his cup on those sitting
Cursing his boss whenever called
وَيَلعَنُ المَولى إِذا دَعاهُ
وَوَجهُهُ إِن جاءَ في قَفاهُ
His face darkens when he comes
If he hears a voice from the gathering
وَإِن أَحَسَّ مِن نَديمٍ صَوتا
قالَ مُجيباً طَعنَةً وَمَوتا
He answers with a curse and death
If the people have a leg to be admired
وَإِن يَكُن لِلقَومِ ساقٍ يُعشَقُ
فَجَفنُهُ بِجَفنِهِ مُدَبِّقُ
His eyelids would be narrowed in sleep
His head like scattered rain clouds
وَرَأسُهُ كَمِثلِ فَرقٍ قَد مُطِر
وَصَدغُهُ كَالصَولَجانِ المُنكَسِر
His temple like a broken drinking horn
He rushed from his toothbrush and adornment
أَعجَلَ مِن مِسواكِهِ وَزينَتِه
وَهَيأَةٍ تَنظُرُ حُسنَ صورَتِه
And appearance, looking to perfect his image
So he came to them with his unkempt clothes
فَجائَهُم بِفَسوَةِ اللِحافِ
مَحمولَةٍ في الثَوبِ وَالأَعطافِ
Carried in his robe and scarf
As if he had bitten his brain
كَأَنَّما عَضَّ عَلى دِماغِ
مُتَّهَمُ الأَنفاسِ وَالأَرفاغِ
Suspicious breaths and thighs
So if you shoo away the cups and tray
فَإِن طَرَدتَ الكَأسَ بِالسَنَّورِ
وَجِئتَ بِالكانونِ وَالسَمّورِ
And bring fireplace and embers instead
What virtue remains for the dawn recognized
فَأَيُّ فَضلٍ لِلصَبوحِ يُعرَفُ
عَلى الغَبوقِ وَالظَلامُ مُسدِفُ
Above confusion and covering darkness?
From its winds he feels destructive swords
يَحُسُّ مِن رِياحِهِ الشَمائِلِ
صَوارِماً تَرسُبُ في المَفاصِلِ
Infiltrating the joints
I forgot the embers of the fireplace
وَقَد نَسيتُ شَرَرَ الكانونِ
كَأَنَّهُ نِثارُ يا سَمينِ
As if they are sparks, O pleasant one!
The coal throws them into cheeks
يَرمي بِهِ الجَمرُ إِلى الأَحداقِ
فَإِن وَنى قَرطَسَ في الآماقِ
And if it falls into the depths
Leaving spots, black dots
وَتَرَكَ النِياطَ بَعدَ الخَمدِ
ذا نُقَطٍ سودٍ كَجِلدِ الفَهدِ
Like the skin of a leopard
And it cuts up the gathering anxiously
وَقَطَّعَ المَجلِسَ في اِكتِئابِ
وَذِكرِ حَرقِ النارِ لِلثِيابِ
Remembering clothes catching fire
And the people kept busy, busy
وَلَم يَزَل لِلقَومِ شُغلاً شاغِلاً
وَأَصبَحَت جِبابُهُم مَناخِلا
And their shirts became like sieves
Until when the sun of mid-morning rose
حَتّى إِذا ما اِرتَفَعَت شَمسُ الضُحى
قيلَ فُلانٌ وَفُلانٌ قَد أَتى
It was said So-and-so and So-and-so came
And perhaps he would be difficult, esteemed
وَرُبَّما كانَ ثَقيلاً يُحتَشَم
فَطَوَّلَ الكَلامَ حيناً وَجَشَم
So he prolonged the words for a while, bold
He offered sweet basil and wine
وَرَفَعَ الريحانَ وَالنَبيذا
وَزالَ عَنّا عَيشَنا الَّذيذا
And our delicious life was lost
For the rest of the day I am not safe
وَلَستُ في طولِ النَهارِ آمِنا
مِن حادِثٍ لَم يَكُ قَبلاً كائِنا
From an incident that has not yet occurred
Or news which is hated, or a letter
أَو خَبَرٍ يُكرَهُ أَو كِتابِ
يَقطَعُ طيبَ اللَهوِ وَالشَرابِ
That cuts short the pleasure of wine and drinking
So hear the faults of dawn
فَاِسمَع إِلى مَثالِبِ الصَبوحِ
في الصَيفِ قَبلَ الطائِرِ الصَدوحِ
Before the warbling bird the summer before
When sleep was sweet and bed pleasant
حينَ حَلا النَومُ وَطابَ المَضجَعُ
وَاِنحَسَرَ اللَيلُ وَلَذَّ المَهجَعُ
The night receded and rest was blissful
Fleas crept up slowly
وَاِنهَزَمَ البَقُّ وَكَنَّ رُتَّعاً
عَلى الدِماءِ وارِداتٍ شُرَّعا
On blood-fed returning female fleas
After they ate the bodies
مِن بَعدِ ما قَد أَكَلوا الأَجسادا
وَطَيَّروا عَنِ الوَرى الرُقادا
And scared away deep sleep
So he brought food to the sleepy ones
فَقَرَّبَ الزادَ إِلى نِيامِ
أَلسُنُهُم ثَقيلَةُ الكَلامِ
Whose tongues were heavy with talk
After ants crept on it
مِن بَعدِ أَن دَبَّ عَلَيهِ النَملُ
وَحَيَّةٌ تَقذِفُ سُمّاً صِلُّ
With a snake spraying poison
A stretched-out deadly scorpion
وَعَقرَبٌ مَمدودَةٌ قَتّالَه
وَجُعَلٌ وَفارَةٌ بَوّالَه
And hornets swarming feverishly
The singer had throat problems
وَلِلمُغَنّي عارِضٌ في حَلقِهِ
وَنَفسُهُ قَد قَدَحَت في حِذقِهِ
His breath burst his ears
If you want to drink at dawn
وَإِن أَرَدتَ الشُربَ عِندَ الفَجرِ
وَالصُبحُ قَد سَلَّ سُيوفَ الحَرِّ
And dawn drew out the swords of heat
An hour then the scorcher comes to you
فَساعَةٌ ثُمَّ تَجيكَ الدامِغَه
بِنارِها فَلا يَسوغُ سائِغَه
With its fire, and its tasty things don’t taste good
The drink and mood become hot
وَيَسخُنُ الشَرابُ وَالمِزاجُ
وَيَكثُرُ الخِلافُ وَالضُجاجُ
Arguments and quarreling increase
From a group who have drunk anguish
مِن مَعشَرٍ قَد جَرَعوا حَميما
وَطَعِموا مِن زادِهِم سُموما
And tasted poison from their supplies
Their breaths clouded their cups
وَغَيَّمَت أَنفاسُهُم أَقداحَهُم
وَعَذَّبَت أَقداحُهُم أَرواحُهُم
Their cups tortured their spirits
They were obsessed with scratching and fidgeting
وَأولِعوا بِالحَكِّ وَالتَفَرُّكِ
وَعَصَبُ الآباطِ مِثلُ المَرتَكِ
As if their elbows were like scratched leather
Their basil became like fury
وَصارَ رَيحانُهُمُ كَالقَتِّ
فَكُلُّهُم لِكُلِّهِم ذو مَقتِ
So they were full of hatred for one another
One walked without two feet
وَبَعضُهُم يَمشي بِلا رِجلَينِ
وَيَأخُذُ الكَأسَ بِلا يَدَينِ
Another took cups without hands
One had red inflamed eyes
وَبَعضُهُم مُحمَرَّةٌ عَيناهُ
مِنَ السَمومِ مُحرَقٌ خَدّاهُ
From poisons, his cheeks on fire
Another, when the sun rose high
وَبَعضُهُم عِندَ اِرتِفاعِ الشَمسِ
يَحُسُّ جوعاً مُؤلِماً لِلنَفسِ
Felt a painful hunger in himself
If he hid his inner chaos
فَإِن أَسَرَّ ما بِهِ تَهَوُّسا
وَلَم يُطِق مِن ضُعفِهِ تَنَفُّسا
And from weakness could not breathe
Migraines roamed his temples
وَطافَ في أَصداغِهِ الصُداعُ
وَلَم يَكُن بِمِثلِهِ اِنتِفاعُ
And they were no use to him
His anger and frustration increased
وَكَثُرَت حِدَّتُهُ وَضَجَرُه
وَصارَ كَالحُمّى يَطيرُ شَرَرُه
And he was like burning sparks flying
He thought of uncouth rampage
وَهَمَّ بِالعَربَدَةِ الوَحشِيَّه
وَصَرَفَ الكاساتِ وَالتَحِيَّه
Cast aside cups and greeting
Hardship appeared in his throat
وَظَهَرَت مَشَقَّةٌ في حَلقِهِ
وَماتَ كُلُّ صاحِبٍ مِن فَرقِهِ
And all of his companions died
If the poor one calls for food
وَإِن دَعا الشَقِيُّ بِالطَعامِ
خَيَّطَ جَفنَيهِ عَلى المَنامِ
He threads his eyelids closed in sleep
Whenever an obligatory prayer comes
وَكُلَّما جاءَت صَلاةٌ واجِبَه
فَسا عَلَيها فَتَوَلَّت هارِبَه
He yawns allowing it to escape
So he ruins life with a gloomy day
فَكَدَّرَ العَيشَ بِيَومٍ أَبلَقِ
أَقطارُهُ بِلَهوِهِ لَم تَلتَقِ
Its regions not joined in his play
Whoever persists enjoying this
فَمَن أَدامَ لِلشَقاءِ هَذا
مِن فِعلِهِ وَاِلتَذَّهُ اِلتِذاذا
From his actions, delighted by delight
Will not find except soiled clothes
لَم يُلفَ إِلّا دَنِسَ الأَثوابِ
مُهَوَّساً مُهَوِّسَ الأَصحابِ
Confused, confusing friends
Increasing unconsciously and stingily, sickly
فَاِزدادَ سَهواً وَضَنىً وَسُقما
وَلا تَراهُ الدَهرَ إِلّا فَدَما
You never see him except tearing away
With long fingernails and protruding teeth
ذا شارِبٍ وَظُفُرٍ طَويلِ
يُنَغَّصُ الزادَ عَلى الأَكيلِ
Spoiling food for the gluttons
And blinking whitened eyelids
وَمُقلَةٍ مُبيَضَّةِ المَآقي
وَأُذُنٍ كَحُقَّةِ الدَباقِ
With ears like part of a skull
His body covered in layers of filth
وَجَسَدٍ عَلَيهِ جِلدٌ مِن وَسَخ
كَأَنَّهُ أُشرِبَ نَفطاً أَو لُطَخ
As if he was fed tar or slipped in mud
You’d think under his sweaty armpits
تَخالُ تَحتَ إِبطِهِ إِذا عَرِق
لِحيَةَ قاضٍ قَد نَجا مِنَ الغَرَق
A judge’s beard saved from drowning
His saliva like an animal skin choker
وَريقُهُ كَمِثلِ طَوقٍ مِن أَدَم
وَلَيسَ مِن تَركِ السُؤالِ يَحتَشِم
Never embarrassed to ask
In his chest the tracks of palm trees
في صَدرِهِ مِن واكِفٍ وَقاطِرِ
كَأَثَرِ الذَرقِ عَلى الكَنادِرِ
On his robe like the tracks of chickens
That was it, I did not leave out much more
هَذا كَذا وَما تَرَكتُ أَكثَرُ
فَجَرَّبوا ما قُلتُهُ وَفَكَّروا
So try what I have said and think
