1. فؤادٌ صَحا حتَّى تعقَّبهُ السُّكرُ

    وعاودَهُ من طَيفِ أحبابِه ذِكرُ

    A heart grew sober until intoxication overtook it,

    And a memory returned to it from the phantom of its loved ones.

  2. وكانَ له في القُربِ صَبر على النَّوى

    فأسلَمَهُ في البُعدِ للجَزَعِ الصَّبرُ

    And in nearness it had patience to endure separation,

    But in distance, patience surrendered it to anguish.

  3. قِفوا تَعجَبوا ممَّن رَمتني جُفونُه

    فسافَر قَلبي سَفرها أيُّها السَّفرُ

    Stop and marvel at him whose eyelids shot at me,

    So my heart journeyed at their unveiling, O travelers.

  4. سَقَى نصلَه سِحراً فلما أصابَني

    أعادَ فؤادي في غَوايَتِهِ السِّحرُ

    He steeped his blade in magic, and when it struck me,

    The magic returned my heart to its delusion.

  5. فَلا ذُقتُ طَعمَ الخَمرِ من بَعد ريقهِ

    ولا لاحَ لي من بَعد غُرَّتِه البَدرُ

    So, after his saliva, I have not tasted the savor of wine,

    Nor, after his radiant brow, has the full moon shone for me.

  6. أنا العبدُ غدَّار بمولاهُ آبقٌ

    إذا كانَ لي مولاً سجيَّته الغَدرُ

    I am the slave—treacherous to his master, a runaway—

    If I have a master whose nature is treachery.

  7. ولي مُهجةٌ عَذارءُ لم تلقَ ذلَّةً

    فَما لِي إذا ألزَمتُها ذلَّةً عُذرُ

    And I have a virgin soul that has never known humiliation;

    So I have no excuse if I force humiliation upon it.

  8. دَعاها إلى نَبهانَ تَسبيبُ عزِّها

    فعزَّت فلا نهيٌ علَيها ولا أَمرُ

    The pursuit of its honor called it to Nabhan,

    So it gained honor: no prohibition or command holds sway over it.

  9. فتىً يخدِمُ العَلياءَ في السَّلم جودُه

    وتخدِمُه في حَربه البيضُ والسُّمرُ

    A young man whose generosity serves high honor in peace,

    And gleaming swords and dusky spears serve him in his warfare.

  10. وأيامُه بينَ الشجاعَةِ والنَّدى

    كذا قُسِّمت شَطرٌ لها وله شَطرُ

    And his days lie between courage and generosity,

    Thus divided: half for courage, half for generosity.

  11. يفرِّقُ ما في كفِّه فَيضُ كَفِّهِ

    ويَغرَقُ في نَعمائِه الحمد والشكرُ

    His hand's overflowing bounty scatters what his palm holds,

    And praise and gratitude drown in his favors.

  12. أقام ابنُ بسطامٍ قيامَةَ ماله

    فنادى مُنادي الجودِ من مالِه الحَشرُ

    Ibn Bistam brought the Day of Resurrection upon his wealth,

    So generosity's herald cried from his wealth: 'The Gathering!'

  13. أتَيتُكَ في الآمالِ تَسحبُ ذَيلَها

    على عَجَلٍ إذ كانَ يطلبُني الدَّهرُ

    I came to you amid hopes trailing their hem,

    In haste, for Time was pursuing me.

  14. وخَودٍ أتَى الفكرُ الصَّحيحُ يزفُّها

    لها ذكرُكَ المَشهورُ بينَ الوَرى عِطرُ

    And a maiden whom sound thought came escorting as a bride,

    Your name, celebrated among mankind, is her perfume.

  15. وما قَصُرَت إلا وقد جلَّ قدرُها

    وسارَ علَى السَّبع الطِّوالِ لها فَخرُ

    And though she is brief, her worth is great,

    And her glory strode above the Seven Long Odes.

  16. ولم أختصِرها عاجِزاً عن إِطالةٍ

    وحقُّ العُلى أن لا يُطاوِلها الشِّعرُ

    Nor did I shorten her through inability to lengthen her;

    And high glory's due is that poetry should not vie with it.