إِعصِ العَواذِلَ وَاِرمِ اللَيلَ عَن عُرُضٍ

بِذي سَبيبٍ يُقاسي لَيلَهُ خَبَبا

Shun the fair maidens and cast night aside,

For one whose youth contends with night in guile.

أَقَبَّ لَم يَثقُبِ البَيطارُ سُرَّتَهُ

وَلَم يَدِجهُ وَلَم يَرقُم لَهث عَصَبا

The healer’s probe has not yet pierced his cloak,

Nor did languor subdue or fray his zeal’s threadbare state,

حَتّى يُثَمِّرَ مالاً أَو يُقالَ فَتىً

لاقى الَّتي تَشعَبُ الفِتيانَ فَاِنشَعَبا

Until it yields wealth or “a fine young man” is said -

He who splits the valiant youths and they split in two.

لا خَيرَ عِندَ فَتىً أَودَت مَروءَتُهُ

يُعطي المقادَةً مَن لا يُحسِنُ الجَنَبا

No good in a man whose manliness lays waste

Who yields his stirrups to one unfit to ride.