كَلَفي بِحَجّامٍ تَحكَّمَ طَرفُهُ

كَلَفي بِحَجّامٍ تَحكَّمَ طَرفُهُ

فَغَدا عَلى سَفكِ الدِماءِ يُواطي

فَغَدا عَلى سَفكِ الدِماءِ يُواطي

My infatuation is with a cupper whose gaze held sway;

A barber took control whose hand was light,

and so he came to connive in the shedding of blood.

So he set out shedding blood left and right.

أَضحى كَثيرَ الاِشتِطاطِ وَلَم تَكُن

أَضحى كَثيرَ الاِشتِطاطِ وَلَم تَكُن

مِنهُ اللِحاظُ كَليلَةَ المِشراطِ

مِنهُ اللِحاظُ كَليلَةَ المِشراطِ

He became most immoderate, and never were

Many now the excesses he’s begun to commit,

his glances dull lancets.

Though once he was most gentle with the lancet.