1. هل تعرفُ الدارَ خفَّ ساكِنُها

    بالحجرِ فالمستوى إلى الثَّمَدِ

    Do you recognize the dwelling, its inhabitant departed,

    at al-Hijr, then al-Mustawa, as far as al-Thamad?

  2. دارٌ لبهانةٍ خدلجَةٍ

    تَبسمُ عن مثلِ بارِدِ البَرَدِ

    A dwelling of Bahana, full-limbed,

    whose smile reveals teeth like cold hailstones.

  3. أثَّت فطالَت حتى إذا اعتدلت

    ما إن يَرَى الناظرونِ من أوَدِ

    She filled out and grew tall until she was well proportioned;

    the onlookers see no crookedness

  4. فيها فأما نقاً فأسفلُها

    والجيدُ منها لظبيةِ الجَرَدِ

    in her; her lower half is a sand dune,

    and her neck is a gazelle’s from the bare plain.

  5. لا الدهرُ فإن ولا مواعِدُها

    تأتي فليتَ القتولَ لم تَعِدِ

    Time does not end, nor do her promises

    come true—would that the slayer had not promised

  6. وعداً محاصيلُهُ إلى خُلُفِ

    ذاك طلابُ التضليلِ والنكَدِ

    a promise whose fruits lead to broken faith.

    That is the pursuit of deception and misery.

  7. هيفاءُ يلتذُّها معانِقُها

    بعدَ عِلالِ الحديثِ والنجَدِ

    Slender-waisted, she delights the man who embraces her,

    after rounds of conversation and sweat.

  8. تمشي إلى نحو بيتِ جارَتِها

    واضعةً كفَّها على الكَبِدِ

    She walks toward her neighbor’s house,

    placing her palm over her liver.

  9. نعمَ شعارُ الفتى إذا بردَالا

    يلُ وآضت كواكِبُ الأسَدِ

    What a fine inner garment for a young man when the night grows cold,

    and the stars of Leo return!

  10. كأنَّ ماءَ الغمامِ خالَطَهُ

    راحٌ صَفَا بعدَ هادرِ الزَّبَدِ

    It is as though cloud-water, mingled

    with wine, clear after its roaring foam,

  11. والمسكُ والزنجبيلُ عُلَّ به

    أنيابُها بعد غفلَةِ الرَّصَدِ

    and musk and ginger, had again moistened

    her canine teeth when the watchers grew heedless.

  12. دع ذا ولكن ربَّ عاذِلَةٍ

    لو عَلِمَت ما أُريدُ لِمَ تعدِ

    Leave that; yet there is many a reproving woman.

    If she knew what I desire, why would she return to it?

  13. هبت بليلٍ تلومُ في شربِ ال

    خَمرِ وذكرِ الكواعب الخُرُدِ

    She rose at night, reproaching me for drinking

    wine and speaking of full-breasted, bashful maidens.

  14. فقُلتُ مهلاً فما عليكِ إن ام

    سيتُ غوياً غيِّي ولا رشدي

    I said, “Easy! You are not answerable, if I

    am wayward at evening, for my straying or my right guidance.”

  15. إني لمستيقنٌ لئن لم أمُت

    مل يوم إني إذن رهينُ غَدِ

    I am certain that, if I do not die

    [Unclear fragment] today, I am then tomorrow’s hostage.

  16. هل نحنُ إلا كَمَن تقدَّمنا

    منا ومن تمَّ ظِمؤُه يَرِد

    Are we anything but like those who went before us

    from among us? Whoever’s interval of thirst ends comes to water.

  17. نحنُ كمَن ما مضى وما ان أرى

    شحاً يزيدُ الحريصَ من عَدَدِ

    We are like those who have passed; and I do not see

    miserliness adding to the greedy man’s tally of days.

  18. فلا تلومنني على خُلقي

    واقني حياءَ الكريمِ واقتعدي

    So do not reproach me for my nature;

    and keep a noble person’s modesty, and sit down.