ولرب ليلٍ مات من غبنٍ ولم

ولرب ليلٍ مات من غبنٍ ولم

يظفر بصبح في الدجا متنفس

يظفر بصبح في الدجا متنفس

And many a night died of chagrin, and never

Many a night has one died of distress, without

found a dawn breathing in the gloom.

Attaining respite at dawn in the darkness

والبدر في تلو الثريا قد حكى

والبدر في تلو الثريا قد حكى

خوداً يحييها النديم بنرجس

خوداً يحييها النديم بنرجس

And the full moon, in the Pleiades’ wake, resembled

And the full moon in the Pleiades has related

a lovely maiden whom the drinking companion greets with narcissus.

How the boon companion revives it with narcissus

والبرق يلمع في السحاب كأنه

والبرق يلمع في السحاب كأنه

ضوءٌ تشعشع من مدام الأكؤس

ضوءٌ تشعشع من مدام الأكؤس

And lightning flashes in the clouds as though it were

And lightning flashes in the clouds as though it

a light shimmering from the wine in the goblets.

Were a brilliance scintillating from essence of goblets

والأفق إيوانٌ تشعث بالصبا

والأفق إيوانٌ تشعث بالصبا

ولذاك يخدم بالجواري الكنس

ولذاك يخدم بالجواري الكنس

And the horizon is a vaulted hall disheveled by the east wind,

And the horizon is a hall hung with the morning breeze

and so it is served by sweeping maidens—the coursing stars.

Wherefore it is served by maidens with braziers

وكأنما المريخ شعلة شمعةٍ

وكأنما المريخ شعلة شمعةٍ

نصبت وحف بها ندامى المجلس

نصبت وحف بها ندامى المجلس

And Mars seems like the flame of a candle

And Mars is like the flame of a candle

set upright, with the gathering’s drinking companions clustered around it.

Lit and circled by the intimates of the assembly