نَفسي الفِداءُ لِشَخصٍ لَستَ أُسميهِ

نَفسي الفِداءُ لِشَخصٍ لَستَ أُسميهِ

كَأَنَّ شارِبَهُ قُفلٌ عَلى فيهِ

كَأَنَّ شارِبَهُ قُفلٌ عَلى فيهِ

My soul be the ransom for someone I do not name.

My soul is the sacrifice for someone I do not name

As though his moustache were a lock upon his mouth.

As if his drinking cup has a lock upon his mouth

لَم يُصبشحُ الغُصنُ مِن أَعطافِهِ خَجَلاً

لَم يُصبشحُ الغُصنُ مِن أَعطافِهِ خَجَلاً

إِلّا وَأَمسى حُيَيّاً مَن تَثَنّيهِ

إِلّا وَأَمسى حُيَيّاً مَن تَثَنّيهِ

The bough never greeted morning abashed by his body's curves

No branch in his embrace would blush with shame

without growing bashful by evening at his swaying.

Except to awake lively, whoever he may bend

وَقائِلٍ هُوَ تَيّاهٌ فَقُلتُ لَهُ

وَقائِلٍ هُوَ تَيّاهٌ فَقُلتُ لَهُ

إِن تاهَ فَهوَ أَحَقُّ الناسَ بِالتيهِ

إِن تاهَ فَهوَ أَحَقُّ الناسَ بِالتيهِ

And to one who said, “He is proud,” I replied:

And if he says he is lost, I say to him

“If he is proud, he has more right than anyone to pride.”

If he is lost, he is the most deserving of people to lose his way