1. لا للقدود ولا للأعين السودِ

    يصبو فؤادي ولا يهتزّ للغيدِ

    Neither for figures nor for black eyes

    does my heart yearn, nor is it stirred by lissome women.

  2. ولا أرُوح إلى راحٍ ولو حملت

    كؤوسها راحُ كف الغادةِ الرودِ

    Nor do I turn to wine, even when carried

    in its cups by the palm of a tender maiden's hand.

  3. ولا أقول للاحٍ جاء يعذلني

    قم يا أخا اللوم وأخرج غير مطرودِ

    Nor do I say to a reprover who comes to chide me:

    Rise, brother of reproach, and leave without being expelled.

  4. ولا أعنْ على عين أغازلها

    ولا أحنّ لتحنان الأغاريد

    Nor do I turn my attention to an eye to court it,

    nor do I long for the plaintive strains of songs.

  5. ولايكفكف دمعي صوتُ ساجعة

    ولا ترّنحُ عِطفي رنّةُ العودِ

    Nor does a cooing bird's voice stem my tears,

    nor does the lute's ringing set my body swaying.

  6. نفسي على الحان والألحان في شُغلٍ

    ولي غنىً عن وصال البيض بالبيد

    My soul is too occupied for the tavern and melodies,

    and I have no need of union with fair women in the wastes.

  7. وفكرتي ليس يعنيها سوى طلبً

    للمجد أو أثرٍ في الكون مشهودِ

    My thought is concerned with nothing but a quest

    for glory, or a visible mark upon the world.

  8. من عاذَ بي ولياليهِ تهدده

    لا ريب عاذ بركن غير مهدودِ

    Whoever seeks refuge with me while his nights threaten him

    has surely found refuge in an unbroken pillar.

  9. إن الليالي يأبى أن يسالمها

    عزم امرىء لنزال الدهر مولودِ

    Indeed, peace with the nights is refused

    by the resolve of a man born to battle Time.

  10. عزم يرد مياه البحر سائغة

    ويترك العذب ورداً غير مورودِ

    A resolve that drinks the sea's waters with ease

    and leaves fresh water a watering place unvisited.

  11. إن لم أمَلَّكْ مقاليد الزمانِ فما

    تملكت يده يوماً مقاليدي

    If I have not been granted the keys of Time, neither

    has its hand ever possessed my keys.

  12. قضيت أكثر عمري ما عليّ له

    يد فأسْدي إليه شكر معبودِ

    I have spent most of my life owing it no

    favor for which to offer it the thanks due a deity.

  13. ولا اقترحت عليه ما يناسبه

    فضلي وحزمي فهناني بمقصودِ

    Nor have I asked it for what befits

    my merit and prudence, and had it gladden me with what I sought.

  14. يلوي العنان إلا مَن لايقام لهم

    وزن وما أحد منهم بمعدودِ

    It turns the reins toward those accorded no

    weight; not one of them is of any account.

  15. ويستهين بأمجادٍ ذوي خطرٍ

    ويستهيم بأخلاطٍ عباديدِ

    It scorns illustrious men of high standing

    and falls in love with a scattered, motley rabble.

  16. أدنا همو من أمانيهم وأبعدني

    فما أكترثت بإدناءٍ وتبعيدِ

    It brought them close to their hopes and kept me far away,

    so I cared nothing for being drawn near or sent away.

  17. أولاهمُ الدهر جوداً فالوجود لهم

    حمى وما أحد منهم بموجودِ

    Time lavished bounty on them, so existence is their

    preserve—though not one of them truly exists.

  18. وكم يواعدني زوراً ليحدث بي

    شوقاً له ويمنيّني بتعضيدِ

    How often it makes false promises to awaken in me

    longing for it, and feeds me hopes of support.

  19. ورام يلهو بآمالي فقلت له

    لا تدعُ بي الشوق إني غير معمودِ

    It sought to toy with my hopes, so I told it:

    Do not arouse longing in me; I am not lovesick.

  20. مَن جرّب الدهر لم تخدعه شقشقة

    ولم يصدّق أكاذيب المواعيدِ

    Whoever has tested Time is not deceived by bluster,

    nor does he put faith in lying promises.

  21. لا حالفتني المعالي إن جنحت له

    تعمدَ الخلفَ أم وفّى بموعودِ

    May lofty honors never be my allies if I incline toward it,

    whether it deliberately breaks its word or keeps a promise.

  22. ولا ملكت المنى إن كان في عمُري

    غير الفضيلة حلىّ جودها جيدي

    Nor may I attain my hopes if ever in my life

    anything but virtue has adorned my neck with its bounty.