1. أَيُّها الرَجلُ إِنَّما أَنتَ ذِئبٌ

    في ذِئابٍ مِنَ المَعاشِرِ طُلسِ

    O man, you are nothing but a wolf

    among dusky wolves of humankind.

  2. حَقُّكَ الآنَ إِن قَلَستَ مُداماً

    أَن تُداوى مِنَ الخُمارِ بَقَلسِ

    Your due now, if you have vomited wine,

    is to be cured of your hangover with a thick rope.

  3. شَهِدَ اللُبُّ أَنَّ ما أَفسَدَ المَع

    قولَ أَمرٌ إِمرٌ بِغَورٍ وَجَلسِ

    Reason bears witness that whatever corrupts

    the intellect is monstrous, in lowlands and uplands.

  4. تَذَرُّ الحازِمَ الحَصيفَ مِنَ القَو

    مِ غَويّاً كَأَنَّهُ حِلفُ أَلسِ

    It leaves the resolute, discerning man among

    the people astray, as though sworn to madness.

  5. وَإِذا لَم تَنَل يَداكَ اِغتِصابي

    رامَتا بِالخِداعِ كَيدي وَخَلسي

    And if your hands cannot seize me by force,

    they seek through deceit to scheme against me and rob me.

  6. لَستُ حِفَ المُدامِ بَل حِلسَ بَيتٍ

    مِثلَ مَيتٍ قَد زايَلَ النِضوَ حِلسي

    I am no companion of wine, but a household mat,

    like a dead man: my saddlecloth has left the gaunt mount.

  7. كَيفَ لِلجِسمِ أَن يَكونَ إِذا أَب

    لَسَ إِلفي العِقابَ إِحراقَ بُلسِ

    How shall the body fare when

    punishment strikes my companion dumb, burning him like lentils?

  8. ما لِنَفسي بَينَ النُفوسِ مُعَنّا

    ةً إِذا لَم تَفُز بِطَوقٍ وَسَلسِ

    What ails my soul, tormented among souls,

    if it has won neither collar nor chain?

  9. لَو يُنادى في كُلِّ سوقٍ عَلَيها

    ما اِشتَراها أَخو رَشادٍ بِفَلسِ

    Were it offered for sale in every market,

    no man of sound judgment would buy it for a copper coin.

  10. قَدَرٌ يُسمِنُ الحَصاةَ فَتُدعى

    جَبَلاً أَو يُذيبُ رَضوى بَهَلسِ

    Fate fattens a pebble till it is called

    a mountain, or melts Radwa away with wasting sickness.

  11. كَيفَ تَهديكَ لِلخَفيّاتِ عَينٌ

    لا تَرى الآلَ في مَهامَهَ مُلسِ

    How can an eye guide you to hidden things

    when it cannot see the mirage in smooth desert wastes?