لا والتفاتِ الظباءِ بالمُقلِ

لا والتفاتِ الظباءِ بالمُقلِ

وطيبِ غصنِ الخدودِ بالقُبَل

وطيبِ غصنِ الخدودِ بالقُبَل

No—by the gazelles' turning of their eyes,

Not the backs of graceful gazelles,

Nay, by the gazelles' glance as they turn their eyes,

And by the sweetness of the bough of cheeks with kisses,

Nor the cheeks' sweet rose branches and kisses,

And the sweet branch of the cheek, ripe for kisses,

وفطنةِ الشاعرِ الأريبِ إذا

وفطنةِ الشاعرِ الأريبِ إذا

حلّ سراويلَ مُطرقٍ خجِل

حلّ سراويلَ مُطرقٍ خجِل

And by the shrewdness of the clever poet when

Nor the keen wit of an eloquent poet

And the cunning poet's sharp wit when

He unties the trousers of one bashful, head bowed,

Donning his robe's train abashed,

He unlaces the trousers of a shy, downcast youth,

وحُرمةِ الرهزِ والفراغ على

وحُرمةِ الرهزِ والفراغ على

بيضِ غلام مرَجرج الكفلِ

بيضِ غلام مرَجرج الكفلِ

And by the sanctity of thrusting and ejaculation upon

Nor the sacredness of empty plots or

And the sacred rite of the thrust and the spill upon

A young man's balls, his rump quivering,

The white arms of a boy with soft skin,

The white loins of a lad with trembling, heavy hips,

لا زرتُ ظهرَ الحرام معتكفاً

لا زرتُ ظهرَ الحرام معتكفاً

ملبياً راكباً على جملِ

ملبياً راكباً على جملِ

May I never visit the back of the Sacred Precinct in retreat,

Have I visited the Haram's knoll

I swear I shall not visit the Holy Shrine in retreat,

Chanting the pilgrim's invocation, riding on a camel,

Piously, riding a camel in procession,

Chanting the pilgrim's cry while mounted on a camel,

إلا على ظهر أمردٍ خنِثٍ

إلا على ظهر أمردٍ خنِثٍ

تميلُ أردافهُ من الثقَل

تميلُ أردافهُ من الثقَل

Except on the back of a beardless, effeminate man,

Except atop a hermaphrodite donkey

Unless I ride the back of a smooth, effeminate boy,

Whose buttocks sway under their own weight.

Whose hinds sag heavily from the load.

Whose buttocks sway to and fro from their weight,

لا أصحبَ اللَه فتيةً طربوا

لا أصحبَ اللَه فتيةً طربوا

إلى ذواتِ الثديّ والحبَل

إلى ذواتِ الثديّ والحبَل

May God never protect young men who thrilled

Never did God make me one of the youths

May God grant no company to young men who delight

To women with breasts and pregnancy.

Who were aroused by full breasts and pregnancy,

In those creatures possessing breasts and pregnancy,

أيورُهم في الأنام قد وسمت

أيورُهم في الأنام قد وسمت

جباهُها هؤلا من السفَل

جباهُها هؤلا من السفَل

Their cocks, among mankind, have been branded

Branding them, among all people, on their brows

For their members have marked them among all mankind,

On their foreheads: 'These are of the lowly.'

With the mark of those gone astray.

Branding their foreheads as the lowest of the low,

من أنا في موقفِ الحساب إذا

من أنا في موقفِ الحساب إذا

نودي بالأنبياء والرسلِ

نودي بالأنبياء والرسلِ

Who am I at the station of reckoning, when

Who am I on Judgment Day when called are

Who am I to stand at the Station of Judgment when

The prophets and messengers are summoned?

The prophets and messengers?

The prophets and messengers are summoned by name?

ذلك يومٌ يجلّ عن خطري

ذلك يومٌ يجلّ عن خطري

فما لمثلي هناكَ من عمَل

فما لمثلي هناكَ من عمَل

That is a day beyond one of my standing;

That's a day that will lift my concerns,

That is a day too momentous for my significance;

So one like me has no business there.

For one such as I has no deeds.

For the likes of me, there is no business there,

هنتُ على الخالقِ الجليل فما

هنتُ على الخالقِ الجليل فما

ينظرُ في قصّتي ولا زلَلي

ينظرُ في قصّتي ولا زلَلي

I am of little account to the majestic Creator, so He does not

I have sinned against the Exalted Creator, so

I am too slight in the eyes of the Majestic Creator

Look into my case or my lapses.

He will not examine my story or missteps.

For Him to consider my story or my sin.