تَوَخَّ بِهَجرٍ أُمَّ لَيلى فَإِنَّها

تَوَخَّ بِهَجرٍ أُمَّ لَيلى فَإِنَّها

عَجوزٌ أَضَلَّت حَيَّ طَسمٍ وَمارِبِ

عَجوزٌ أَضَلَّت حَيَّ طَسمٍ وَمارِبِ

Resolve to shun Umm Layla, for she

Beware of abandoning the mother of Layla, for she is

is an old woman who led astray the people of Tasm and Ma'rib.

An old woman who has lost the thread of logical judgment.

دَبيبُ نِمالٍ عَن عُقارٍ تَخالُها

دَبيبُ نِمالٍ عَن عُقارٍ تَخالُها

بِجِسمِكَ شَرٌّ مِن دَبيبِ العَقارِبِ

بِجِسمِكَ شَرٌّ مِن دَبيبِ العَقارِبِ

The creeping of ants that wine makes you imagine

The creeping of a soft bed is better than her company,

within your body is worse than the creeping of scorpions.

For your body, her harm is worse than scorpion stings.

وَلَو أَنَّها كَالماءِ طِلقٌ لَأَوجَبَت

وَلَو أَنَّها كَالماءِ طِلقٌ لَأَوجَبَت

قِلاها أَصيلاتُ النُهى وَالتَجارِبِ

قِلاها أَصيلاتُ النُهى وَالتَجارِبِ

Even were she freely permitted like water, one would still be bound

Had she been easy like water, her meetings would necessitate

by sound reason and experience to loathe her.

Avoidance by those of intelligence and experience.

تُحَيّي وُجوهَ الشَربِ فِعلَ مُسالِمٍ

تُحَيّي وُجوهَ الشَربِ فِعلَ مُسالِمٍ

يُضاحِكُهُ وَالكَيدُ كَيدُ مُحارِبِ

يُضاحِكُهُ وَالكَيدُ كَيدُ مُحارِبِ

She greets the drinkers' faces like a peaceable man

She enlivens the faces of drinkers through harmless actions,

who laughs with another, yet her guile is a warrior's.

While plotting like one who wages war.

إِذا قُتِلَت خافَ الرَشادُ جِنايَةً

إِذا قُتِلَت خافَ الرَشادُ جِنايَةً

فَكانَ مِنَ الفِتيانِ أَوَّلَ هارِبِ

فَكانَ مِنَ الفِتيانِ أَوَّلَ هارِبِ

When she is slain, sound judgment fears a crime,

When she is killed, even the righteous fear unjust blame,

and becomes the first of the young men to flee.

And among the youths, he was the first to flee.

عَدُوَّةُ لُبٍّ سَلَّتِ السَيفَ وَاِعتَلَت

عَدُوَّةُ لُبٍّ سَلَّتِ السَيفَ وَاِعتَلَت

بِهِ القَومَ إِلّا أَنَّها لَم تُضارِبِ

بِهِ القَومَ إِلّا أَنَّها لَم تُضارِبِ

An enemy of reason, she drew the sword and assailed

The enemy of resolve drew the sword and attacked the people with it

the people with it, though she exchanged no blows.

Yet did not engage in combat.

وَما شامَتِ الهِندِيَّ في الكَفِّ عَنوَةً

وَما شامَتِ الهِندِيَّ في الكَفِّ عَنوَةً

وَلَكِن ثَنَتهُ في أَنامِلَ ضارِبِ

وَلَكِن ثَنَتهُ في أَنامِلَ ضارِبِ

Nor did she forcibly draw the Indian blade into her palm,

The Indian was not arrogant in his palm,

but she bent it in a swordsman's fingers.

But rather bent his fingers around the striker.

فَلَو كانَ سَرحُ العَقلِ أَذوادَ عامِرٍ

فَلَو كانَ سَرحُ العَقلِ أَذوادَ عامِرٍ

رَمَت كُلَّ ذَودٍ مِن سَفاهٍ بِخارِبِ

رَمَت كُلَّ ذَودٍ مِن سَفاهٍ بِخارِبِ

If reason's grazing herd were ʿAmir's camel herds,

If the flock of reason were camels of 'Amir,

she would hurl a raider at every herd, out of folly.

Each foolish sheep would strike ruins.

فَما أَبعَدَت إِلّا أَجَلَّ مُقارِنٍ

فَما أَبعَدَت إِلّا أَجَلَّ مُقارِنٍ

وَلا بَلَّغَت إِلّا خَسيسَ المَآرِبِ

وَلا بَلَّغَت إِلّا خَسيسَ المَآرِبِ

So she has banished none but the noblest companion,

She instigated nothing but death for a neighbor

and has brought one only to the basest ends.

And accomplished nothing but the lowest of schemes.

تُعَرّي الفَتى مِن ثَوبِهِ وَهوَ غافِلٌ

تُعَرّي الفَتى مِن ثَوبِهِ وَهوَ غافِلٌ

وَتوقِعُ حَربَ الدَهرِ بَينَ الأَقارِبِ

وَتوقِعُ حَربَ الدَهرِ بَينَ الأَقارِبِ

She strips the young man of his garment while he is unaware,

She strips the young man of his clothes while he is unaware

and sets the war of Time raging between kinsmen.

And provokes the war of fate between relatives.

تَأَلّى الحِجى وَاِستَشهَدَ السِكرَ أَنَّها

تَأَلّى الحِجى وَاِستَشهَدَ السِكرَ أَنَّها

ذَميمَةُ غِبٍّ لا تَحِلُّ لِشارِبِ

ذَميمَةُ غِبٍّ لا تَحِلُّ لِشارِبِ

Reason swore, and called drunkenness to witness, that she

Proofs have been established and wine admits that she

is foul in her aftermath and unlawful for a drinker.

Is a slanderer of absence unlawful for the drinker.