بارفضاض الدموع جرّا السفاه

بارفضاض الدموع جرّا السفاه

أجب الردع من ملام النواهي

أجب الردع من ملام النواهي

With tears streaming because of folly,

With the outpouring of tears, ignorance dragged along folly

With flowing tears dragged forth by folly,

heed the rebuke of reproachful admonitions.

Heeding the deterrent from blaming prohibitions

Answer the rebuke of those who blame and forbid.

فبنات الجفون أصدق خبراً

فبنات الجفون أصدق خبراً

عن جوى القلب من بنات الشفاه

عن جوى القلب من بنات الشفاه

For the daughters of the eyelids tell more truly

For the daughters of the eyelids are more truthful

For the daughters of the eyelids tell a truer tale

of the heart's burning anguish than the daughters of the lips.

About the innermost feelings of the heart than the daughters of the lips

Of the heart's passion than the daughters of the lips.

يا خليليّ عرجا وارثيا لي

يا خليليّ عرجا وارثيا لي

من صبابات نفسي الميلاه

من صبابات نفسي الميلاه

O my two friends, turn aside and take pity on me

O my friend, make haste to me as an heir

O my two friends, turn aside and lament for me,

for the longings of my passion-prone soul.

Of the inclinations of my passionate soul

For the yearnings of my wayward soul.

ان مرآى أربع البير أقوت

ان مرآى أربع البير أقوت

بعد جمل من أمهات الدواهي

بعد جمل من أمهات الدواهي

Indeed, the sight of al-Bir's encampments lying deserted

Verily the vision of the four wells has grown stronger

Truly, the sight of the quarters of the well, now desolate

after Juml is among the greatest calamities.

After a period of abstinence from lustful desires

After Jaml, is the mother of all calamities.

فلئن ظلت الديار معنّى

فلئن ظلت الديار معنّى

من عقابيل لوعة هي ما هي

من عقابيل لوعة هي ما هي

And though the dwellings have remained in torment

And if the home remains a source

So if I remain by the ruins, tormented

from the lingering effects of anguish—what anguish!—

Of agonizing sorrow, it remains as it is

By the aftershocks of a grief that passes description,

ورياض الصبا ذبلنَ وصارت

ورياض الصبا ذبلنَ وصارت

غُدُرُ اللهو آجنات المياه

غُدُرُ اللهو آجنات المياه

and the gardens of youth have withered, and

And the gardens of youth have withered and become

And the gardens of youth have withered away,

the waters of pleasure's pools have grown stagnant,

The treacheries of frivolity, murky waters

And the pools of pleasure have turned to stagnant waters,

لبما قد شربت كاسا دهاقا

لبما قد شربت كاسا دهاقا

جنبة الربيع من كؤوس الملاهي

جنبة الربيع من كؤوس الملاهي

I have indeed drunk a brimming cup

Because I have drunk a cup of anguish

For how often I drank an overflowing cup

at spring's side, from the cups of revelry.

Next to the exuberance of the spring, from cups of pleasures

In the bloom of spring, from the chalices of delight.