يَا مَرحَباً أَلفَاً وَأَلَفا

يَا مَرحَباً أَلفَاً وَأَلَفا

بِالكَاسِرَاتِ إِلَيَّ طَرفَا

بِالكَاسِرَاتِ إِلَيَّ طَرفَا

Oh, a thousand welcomes, and a thousand more,

A thousand thousand welcomes to you

To those lowering their gaze toward me,

Who glance my way with languid eyes.

رُجحِ الرَّوَادِفِ كَالظِّبَا

رُجحِ الرَّوَادِفِ كَالظِّبَا

ءِ تَعَرَّضَت حُوَّاً وَوُطفَا

ءِ تَعَرَّضَت حُوَّاً وَوُطفَا

Heavy of haunch, like gazelles,

Your boats cleave the waters

That appeared, dark-hued and long-lashed.

Swift as racing ostrich mounts.

أَنكَرنَ مَركَبِيَ الحِمَا

أَنكَرنَ مَركَبِيَ الحِمَا

رَ وَكُنَّ لاَ يُنكِرنَ طِرفَا

رَ وَكُنَّ لاَ يُنكِرنَ طِرفَا

They scorned my mount, the donkey,

Once they recognized my vessel

Yet they used not to scorn a noble steed.

And would glance my way no more.

وَسَأَلنَنِي أَينَ الشَبَا

وَسَأَلنَنِي أَينَ الشَبَا

بُ فقُلتُ بانَ وَكَانَ حِلفَا

بُ فقُلتُ بانَ وَكَانَ حِلفَا

And they asked me, 'Where is youth?'

"Where are the lads?" they asked me.

I said, 'It has departed; it was my ally.'

"Gone!" I said, and that was that.

أَفنَى شَبَابِي فانقَضَى

أَفنَى شَبَابِي فانقَضَى

حِلفُ النِسَاءِ تَبِعنَ حِلفَا

حِلفُ النِسَاءِ تَبِعنَ حِلفَا

My youth was consumed—and so it ended—

My youth is spent and their oath

By bands of women, one following another.

Of fealty to me is done.

أَعطَيتُهُنَّ مَوَدَّتي

أَعطَيتُهُنَّ مَوَدَّتي

فَجَزَينَني كَذِبَاً وَخُلفَا

فَجَزَينَني كَذِبَاً وَخُلفَا

I gave them my affection,

I gave them all my love and they

So they repaid me with lies and broken promises.

Repaid me with deceit and scorn.

وَقَصَائِدٌ مِثلُ الرُّقَى

وَقَصَائِدٌ مِثلُ الرُّقَى

أَرسَلتُهُنَ فَكُنَّ شَغفَا

أَرسَلتُهُنَ فَكُنَّ شَغفَا

And poems like incantations—

My songs were healing incantations

I sent them forth, and they stirred passion.

I sent their way but they were heedless.

أَوجَعنَ كُلَّ مُغَازِلٍ

أَوجَعنَ كُلَّ مُغَازِلٍ

وَعَصَفنَ بِالغَيرَانِ عَصفَا

وَعَصَفنَ بِالغَيرَانِ عَصفَا

They wounded every wooer,

They left each lover in torment

And stormed fiercely against the jealous man.

And hurried away in haste.

مِن كُلِّ لَذَّاتِ الفَتَى

مِن كُلِّ لَذَّاتِ الفَتَى

قَد نِلتُ نَائِلَةً وَعُرفَا

قَد نِلتُ نَائِلَةً وَعُرفَا

From all a young man's pleasures,

Of all the joys of being young

I have indeed won bounty and favor.

I've had my share and I've been known.

صِدتُ الأَوَانِسَ كَالدُّمى

صِدتُ الأَوَانِسَ كَالدُّمى

وَسَقَيتُهُنَّ الخَمرَ صِرفَا

وَسَقَيتُهُنَّ الخَمرَ صِرفَا

I snared maidens fair as statuettes,

I entertained the loveliest girls

And gave them unmixed wine to drink.

And poured the wine for them profusely.