توهمت أمراً فلم أنبس

توهمت أمراً فلم أنبس

بحرف وناديت بالأكؤس

بحرف وناديت بالأكؤس

I conceived a thought, but uttered not

I imagined something, but did not utter

I imagined something, so I did not utter

a word; instead, I called for goblets

a word, and called for the goblets.

A word, and called for cups

حميا كأن سنا نورها

حميا كأن سنا نورها

سنا بارق لاح في الحندس

سنا بارق لاح في الحندس

of heady wine, as though the radiance of its light

Potent wine, as though the radiance of its light

Zealously, as though its light were

were the gleam of lightning flashing through pitch darkness.

were lightning's gleam, shining in deepest darkness.

A lightning flash that gleamed in polished Indian steel

يعاطيكها رشأ طرفه

يعاطيكها رشأ طرفه

سريع إلى تلف الأنفس

سريع إلى تلف الأنفس

A gazelle-like youth passes it to you, his glance

A gazelle-fawn hands it to you; his gaze

Whose glance impetuously surveys

swift to bring souls to ruin,

is swift to bring souls to ruin,

The souls of men with haste and restlessness

بخد يروقك توريده

بخد يروقك توريده

وعين تنوب عن النرجس

وعين تنوب عن النرجس

with a cheek whose rosy bloom delights you,

with a cheek whose rosy hue delights you,

With a cheek whose pallor pleases you

and an eye that takes the narcissus’s place.

and an eye that takes the place of the narcissus.

And eyes that take the place of narcissus

له قلم أبداً ناطق

له قلم أبداً ناطق

بأسعد قوم بالأنحس

بأسعد قوم بالأنحس

He has a pen forever eloquent,

He has a pen, forever speaking

It has a tongue that ever speaks

pronouncing the most fortunate of men the most ill-starred.

of the luckiest of folk, of the most ill-starred.

Of the happiest people with the most misfortune

إذا ما انتضاه لأمر رمى

إذا ما انتضاه لأمر رمى

به الدهر عن صائبات القسي

به الدهر عن صائبات القسي

Whenever he unsheathes it for some affair, Fate shoots

Whenever he unsheathes it for a task, he shoots

Whenever it is inspired to something

with it in place of the unerring arrows of bows.

with it at Time, from unerring bows.

Which time has cast upon the successful strokes of destiny

رآه الوزير على غاية

رآه الوزير على غاية

من الفضل تعلو على الخنس

من الفضل تعلو على الخنس

The vizier saw him at a pinnacle

The vizier saw him at a pinnacle

The minister saw him at a peak

of excellence rising above the retreating stars.

of excellence rising above the retreating stars.

Of virtue rising above the lowly