1. تَرَكتُ الخُمورَ لأَربابِها

    وَاقبلتُ أَشرَبُ ماءً قُراحا

    I left the wines to their devotees,

    And turned to drinking pure water.

  2. وَقَد كُنتُ حيناً بِها مُغرَماً

    كحبّ الغلامِ الفَتاةَ الرَداحا

    And for a time I had been enamored of them,

    Like a youth's love for a full-hipped maiden.

  3. فَلَم يَبقَ في الصَدرِ مِن حبّها

    سِوى أَن إِذا ذُكِرت قُلتُ آحا

    So nothing of my love for them remained in my breast,

    Except that, when they were mentioned, I said, “Ah!”

  4. وَما كانَ تَركي لَها أَنَّني

    يَخافُ نَديمي عَليَّ اِفتِضاحا

    Nor was my giving them up because

    My drinking companion feared disgrace for me,

  5. وَلَكِنَّ قَولي لَهُ مَرحَباً

    وَأَهلاً مَع السَهلِ واِنعِم صَباحا

    But rather because I said to him, “Welcome,

    And welcome, with ease; have a pleasant morning!”