أَعِر شِعرَكَ الأَطلالَ وَالدِمَّنَ القَفرا

أَعِر شِعرَكَ الأَطلالَ وَالدِمَّنَ القَفرا

فَقَد طالَ ما أَزرى بِهِ نَعتُكَ الخَمرا

فَقَد طالَ ما أَزرى بِهِ نَعتُكَ الخَمرا

Lend your poetry to the ruins and desolate campsite remains;

Show your hair to the ruins and the deserted wilderness,

Lend your verse to the ruins and the desolate encampments,

For your description of wine has long debased it.

For too long has your wine description burdened me,

For your praise of wine has long brought poetry to shame.

دَعاني إِلى نَعتِ الطُلولِ مُسَلَّطٌ

دَعاني إِلى نَعتِ الطُلولِ مُسَلَّطٌ

تَضيقُ ذِراعي أَن أَجوزَ لَهُ أَمراً

تَضيقُ ذِراعي أَن أَجوزَ لَهُ أَمراً

One in authority called me to describe the ruins;

A tyrant calls me to describe curls,

A powerful ruler has summoned me to describe the remains,

My arm is too weak to defy a command of his.

My arms too narrow to allow him anything,

And I am powerless to transgress his command.

فَسَمعٌ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ وَطاعَةٌ

فَسَمعٌ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ وَطاعَةٌ

وَإِن كُنتَ قَد جَشَّمتَني مَركَباً وَعرا

وَإِن كُنتَ قَد جَشَّمتَني مَركَباً وَعرا

So I hear and obey, Commander of the Faithful,

Obedience to the Commander of the Faithful I hear and obey,

So I hear and obey, O Commander of the Faithful,

Though you have made me undertake a rugged ride.

Even if you have made me ride a difficult and bumpy conveyance.

Though you have saddled me with a rough and rugged mount.