لا تَعجَلَّنَ عَلَيكَ بَعدُ نَهارُ

لا تَعجَلَّنَ عَلَيكَ بَعدُ نَهارُ

وَغَداً إِلَيكَ تُجَهَّزُ الأَشعارُ

وَغَداً إِلَيكَ تُجَهَّزُ الأَشعارُ

Do not hurry; there is still daylight left for you,

Do not hasten against me, for after today there is still tomorrow,

and tomorrow the poems will be readied for you.

And tomorrow the poems will be prepared for you.

تَركُ اللَئيمِ وَلَم يُمَزَّق عِرضُهُ

تَركُ اللَئيمِ وَلَم يُمَزَّق عِرضُهُ

نَقصٌ عَلى الرَجُلِ الكَريمِ وَعارُ

نَقصٌ عَلى الرَجُلِ الكَريمِ وَعارُ

Leaving a vile man with his honor untorn

To leave the scoundrel unharmed is a flaw upon the honorable man and a disgrace,

is a failing and a disgrace for a noble man.

You have set sail in an ocean of ignorance, intoxicated,

أَشَرَعتَ في بَحرِ الجَهالَةِ سادِراً

أَشَرَعتَ في بَحرِ الجَهالَةِ سادِراً

وَالجَهلُ في بَعضِ الهَناتِ عُقارُ

وَالجَهلُ في بَعضِ الهَناتِ عُقارُ

Have you plunged heedlessly into the sea of folly?

And ignorance in some delights is poison.

And ignorance, in some failings, is wine.

So drink, for you will know that it is a cup,

فَاِشرَب فَإِنَّكَ سَوفَ تَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ

فَاِشرَب فَإِنَّكَ سَوفَ تَعلَمُ أَنَّهُ

قَدَحٌ يُصيبُ العِرضَ مِنهُ خُمارُ

قَدَحٌ يُصيبُ العِرضَ مِنهُ خُمارُ

So drink, for you will learn that it is

That mars one's honor with intoxication.

a cup whose hangover afflicts your honor.

The choice of speech has come to you in fragments,

غاداكَ مُختارُ الكَلامِ بِشُرَّدٍ

غاداكَ مُختارُ الكَلامِ بِشُرَّدٍ

عونِ القَصيدِ حُتوفُها أَبكارُ

عونِ القَصيدِ حُتوفُها أَبكارُ

Choice speech has greeted you at dawn with roving verses—

The shoulders of the poem helped by maids.

seasoned poems whose deathblows are virgins.

A rock that will deafen both your ears,

صَخرٌ يُفيتُكَ مِسمَعَيكَ كِلَيهِما

صَخرٌ يُفيتُكَ مِسمَعَيكَ كِلَيهِما

حَتّى تَرى أَنَّ الأَذانَ سِرارُ

حَتّى تَرى أَنَّ الأَذانَ سِرارُ

Rocks that rob you of both your ears,

Until you see that the ear is a secret.

until you take the call to prayer for a whisper.

Poetry in which poison is infused but does not fall,

شِعرٌ مَقيلُ السَمِّ فيهِ وَلَم يَقَع

شِعرٌ مَقيلُ السَمِّ فيهِ وَلَم يَقَع

قِسطٌ يُدَيِّثُهُ وَلا أَظفارُ

قِسطٌ يُدَيِّثُهُ وَلا أَظفارُ

Verse where poison rests at noon, with no addition of

An amount that corrupts it but no fingers.

costus to mellow it, nor of onycha.

Delusions, whenever I want, are my witnesses,

غُرَرٌ مَتى ما شِئتُ كُنَّ شَواهِدي

غُرَرٌ مَتى ما شِئتُ كُنَّ شَواهِدي

أَن لَم يَكُن لَكَ والِدٌ عَطّارُ

أَن لَم يَكُن لَكَ والِدٌ عَطّارُ

Bright verses that, whenever I wish, will be my witnesses

That you did not have a perfumer father.

that no perfumer was your father.

Do not think that I have lightened up out of passion,

لا تَحسَبَن أَنّي خَفَفتُ لِهَفوَةٍ

لا تَحسَبَن أَنّي خَفَفتُ لِهَفوَةٍ

وَالخِفَّةُ الهَفواءُ فيكَ وَقارُ

وَالخِفَّةُ الهَفواءُ فيكَ وَقارُ

Do not think I grew rash over a slip,

And lightness, passion in you, is dignity.

and reckless frivolity counts as dignity in you.

Two who cannot be trusted in severity,

إِثنانِ لَيسا يُؤمَنانِ بِحِدَّةٍ

إِثنانِ لَيسا يُؤمَنانِ بِحِدَّةٍ

أَنا حينَ تُحرِقُ سَخطَتي وَالنارُ

أَنا حينَ تُحرِقُ سَخطَتي وَالنارُ

Two are not to be trusted in their fury:

I when my anger burns, and the fire.

I, when my wrath scorches, and fire.