أَنا الَّذي نَكَحَ الغَيلاءَ في بَلَدٍ

أَنا الَّذي نَكَحَ الغَيلاءَ في بَلَدٍ

ما طَلَّ فيهِ سِماكِيٌّ وَلا جادا

ما طَلَّ فيهِ سِماكِيٌّ وَلا جادا

I am he who lay with the she-ghoul in a land

I am he who married the maiden in a land

where no Simāk rain-cloud has drizzled or poured;

Where no tall man or generous ever trod

في حَيثُ لايَعمِتُ الغادي عَمايَتَهُ

في حَيثُ لايَعمِتُ الغادي عَمايَتَهُ

وَلا الظَليمُ بِهِ يَبغي تِهِبّادا

وَلا الظَليمُ بِهِ يَبغي تِهِبّادا

in a place where the morning cloud does not wind its skeins,

A place where no lost traveler ever strayed

nor does the male ostrich seek colocynth seeds there.

Nor oppressed refugee ever sought abode

وَقَد لَهَوتُ بِمَصقولٍ عَوارِضُها

وَقَد لَهَوتُ بِمَصقولٍ عَوارِضُها

بَكرٍ تُنازِعُني كَأساً وَعِنقادا

بَكرٍ تُنازِعُني كَأساً وَعِنقادا

And I have dallied with one whose teeth gleamed,

Her polished cheeks once sported with me, challenging

a virgin exchanging a cup and a grape cluster with me.

My cup and vine in frolics young and glad

ثُمَّ اِنقَضى عَصرُها عَنّي وَأَعقَبَهُ

ثُمَّ اِنقَضى عَصرُها عَنّي وَأَعقَبَهُ

عَصرُ المَشيبِ فَقُل في صالِحٍ بادا

عَصرُ المَشيبِ فَقُل في صالِحٍ بادا

Then her time passed away from me, and after it came

Then passed her spring, and autumn age succeeded

the age of gray hair—so say of a worthy man: 'He has perished.'

Say then, may blessings light on autumn sad!