أَهَوَىً والمَشِيبُ قَدْ حالَ دونَهُ

أَهَوَىً والمَشِيبُ قَدْ حالَ دونَهُ

والتَّصَابي بَعْدَ المَشِيبِ رُعُوتَهْ

والتَّصَابي بَعْدَ المَشِيبِ رُعُوتَهْ

Love, when gray hair has already barred its way?

I yearned, though gray hair had come between us,

And acting young after gray hair is folly.

And dalliance after gray hair is folly,

أَبَتْ النَّفْسُ أَنْ تُطِيعَ وقالَتْ

أَبَتْ النَّفْسُ أَنْ تُطِيعَ وقالَتْ

إنَّ حُبِّي لا يَدْخُلُ القِنِّينَهْ

إنَّ حُبِّي لا يَدْخُلُ القِنِّينَهْ

The soul refused to obey and said,

My soul refused to obey and said,

“My love will not fit into a bottle.

“My love won't enter the monastery.”

كَيفَ أَعْصِي الهَوَى وطِينَةُ قَلْبِي

كَيفَ أَعْصِي الهَوَى وطِينَةُ قَلْبِي

بالهَوَى قَبْلَ آدَم مَعْجُونَهْ

بالهَوَى قَبْلَ آدَم مَعْجُونَهْ

How can I defy love, when the clay of my heart

How can I disobey desire when my heart's clay

was kneaded with love before Adam?”

Was kneaded with desire before Adam?

سَلَبْتُهُ الرُّقادَ بَيْضَةُ خِدْرٍ

سَلَبْتُهُ الرُّقادَ بَيْضَةُ خِدْرٍ

ذاتُ حُسْنٍ كالدُّرَّةِ المَكْنُونَهْ

ذاتُ حُسْنٍ كالدُّرَّةِ المَكْنُونَهْ

A fair maiden, an egg of the inner chamber, robbed it of sleep,

It robbed me of sleep—egg of a crested lark,

possessed of beauty like a hidden pearl.

A beauty like a hidden pearl.

سُمْتُهَا قُبْلَةً تُسَرُّ بِها النَّفْسُ

سُمْتُهَا قُبْلَةً تُسَرُّ بِها النَّفْسُ

فقالَت كذا أَكُونُ حَزِينَة

فقالَت كذا أَكُونُ حَزِينَة

I asked her for a kiss to gladden the soul,

I called her “a kiss” to gladden my soul.

and she said, “Then I would be sad.”

She said, “If so, I'll be sorrowful.”

قُلْتُ لابُدَّ أَنْ تَسِيري إلَى الدَّ

قُلْتُ لابُدَّ أَنْ تَسِيري إلَى الدَّ

ارِ فقالَتْ عَسَى أنَا مَجْنُونَهْ

ارِ فقالَتْ عَسَى أنَا مَجْنُونَهْ

I said, “You must go to the ho—

I said, “You must go home,” and she said,

—use.” She said, “Perhaps I am mad!”

“Maybe I'm mad!”

قُلْتُ سِيري فَإنَّنِي لَكِ خَيْرٌ

قُلْتُ سِيري فَإنَّنِي لَكِ خَيْرٌ

مِنْ أَبٍ رَاحِمٍ وَأُمٍّ حَنُونَهْ

مِنْ أَبٍ رَاحِمٍ وَأُمٍّ حَنُونَهْ

I said, “Go, for I am better for you

I said, “Go, for I wish you well,

than a compassionate father and a tender mother.

Better than a kind father, a loving mom.”

أَنَا نِعْمَ القَرِينُ إنْ كُنْتِ تَبْغِينَ

أَنَا نِعْمَ القَرِينُ إنْ كُنْتِ تَبْغِينَ

حَلاَلاً وَأنْتِ نِعْمَ الْقَرِينَهْ

حَلاَلاً وَأنْتِ نِعْمَ الْقَرِينَهْ

I am an excellent mate if you seek

I'm a fine companion, if you want

lawful union, and you are an excellent mate.”

Permissible—and you’re a fine companion.

قَالَتِ اضْرِبْ عَنْ وَصْلٍ مِثْلِي صَفْحاً

قَالَتِ اضْرِبْ عَنْ وَصْلٍ مِثْلِي صَفْحاً

وَاضْرِبِ الخَلَّ أَوْ بَصِيرَ طَحِينَهْ

وَاضْرِبِ الخَلَّ أَوْ بَصِيرَ طَحِينَهْ

She said, “Turn aside from union with one like me,

She said, “Forget joining with one like me,

and beat vinegar, or tahini baṣīr.

And forget dough or bleached flour.”

لا أَرَى أَنْ تَمَسَّنِي يَدُ شَيْخٍ

لا أَرَى أَنْ تَمَسَّنِي يَدُ شَيْخٍ

كَيْفَ أَرْضَى بِهِ لِطَشْتِي مَشِينَهْ

كَيْفَ أَرْضَى بِهِ لِطَشْتِي مَشِينَهْ

I will not have an old man's hand touch me.

I don't want an old man's hand to touch me.

How can I accept him as a disgrace to my basin?”

Why would I be pleased by his flabby grasp?

قُلْتُ إنِّي كَثِيرُ مَالِ فقالَتْ

قُلْتُ إنِّي كَثِيرُ مَالِ فقالَتْ

هَبْكَ أَنْتَ المُبَارِزُ القاَرُونَهْ

هَبْكَ أَنْتَ المُبَارِزُ القاَرُونَهْ

I said, “I have much wealth.” She said,

I said, “I'm very rich,” and she said,

“Suppose you rival Qarun!”

“Get away, you pompous Qarun!”

سَيِّدِي لا تَخَفْ عَلَيَّ خُرُوجاً

سَيِّدِي لا تَخَفْ عَلَيَّ خُرُوجاً

في عَروضِي فَفِطْنَتِي مَوْزُونَهْ

في عَروضِي فَفِطْنَتِي مَوْزُونَهْ

My lord, do not fear that I will stray

“My lord, don't worry I'll slip away—

in my prosody, for my wit is well measured.

My composure is well-regulated.”

كُلُّ بَحْرٍ إنْ شِئْتَ فِيهِ اخْتَبِرنِي

كُلُّ بَحْرٍ إنْ شِئْتَ فِيهِ اخْتَبِرنِي

لا تُكَذِّبْ فَإنَّنِي يَقْطِينَهْ

لا تُكَذِّبْ فَإنَّنِي يَقْطِينَهْ

Every sea of verse—test me in it, if you wish;

“Test me in any sea, if you wish.

do not call me a liar, for I am a gourd.

Don't call me a liar, for I'm an octopus.”