لِمَ لا أُصِرّ على البَطَالَةِ والهَوَى

لِمَ لا أُصِرّ على البَطَالَةِ والهَوَى

وعلى بَرْدِ شَبِيْبَتي وإِزَارِها

وعلى بَرْدِ شَبِيْبَتي وإِزَارِها

Why should I not hold fast to idleness and love,

Why do I not insist on idleness and passion

And to my youth’s coolness and its waist-wrap?

And on the coolness of my youth and its cloak?

وإذا تراءَتْ للقِيَانِ مَحَاسِني

وإذا تراءَتْ للقِيَانِ مَحَاسِني

طَمِحَتْ إليّ بِلَحْظِها أبصارُها

طَمِحَتْ إليّ بِلَحْظِها أبصارُها

And when my charms appear to the singing girls,

And if maidens reveal their beauties before me,

Their eyes lift toward me with their gaze.

Their glances yearn for me.

ولو أنّ عيداناً بغيرِ ضَوَارِبِ

ولو أنّ عيداناً بغيرِ ضَوَارِبِ

قابَلْنَني لتَحَرّكَتْ أَوْتَارُها

قابَلْنَني لتَحَرّكَتْ أَوْتَارُها

And even if lutes, with no women to play them,

If limbs without rhythmic motions

Were to face me, their strings would surely stir.

Were to meet me, their strings would be set in motion.