1. لا تستمع من قول لاحي

    واشرب على الغرر الصباحِ

    Do not heed a reprover's words,

    and drink amid fair, radiant faces

  2. راحا ترى ذا الهم ما

    سكنت حشاه ذا ارتياحِ

    wine: you will see the careworn man, so long as

    it dwells within him, a man at ease.

  3. حَمراء تحسب في زجا

    جتها شقيقا في أقاحِ

    Red wine—you would think it, within

    its glass, an anemone among daisies.

  4. يختال شارب كاسها

    بين الشجاعة والسماحِ

    The drinker of its cup struts proudly

    between courage and generosity.

  5. واتبع سرورك واصلا

    منه غدوك بالرواحِ

    Pursue your joy, joining

    in it, your morning to your evening.

  6. فالعيش إن راح الصّبا

    بين التصابي والمزاح

    For life, if youth has passed,

    lies between youthful dalliance and jest,

  7. مع كل معسول اللمى

    خرس البرى شخت الوشاحِ

    with every one whose dusky lips are honey-sweet,

    whose anklets are mute, whose girdle is slender.

  8. ويد البروق تهز في

    جنباتها بين الصفاحِ

    And lightning's hand waves through

    its reaches, among the broad rocks,

  9. والروض مخضر الثَّرى

    ريان مطلول النواحي

    and the meadow's soil is green,

    well-watered, its edges sprinkled with dew.

  10. والغصن نشوان وعي

    ب أن يراك وأنت صاحي

    And the bough is drunk; it is a shame

    that it should see you sober.

  11. قسما بتفاح الخدو

    د ونرجس الحدق الملاحِ

    I swear by the apples of

    cheeks, and the narcissi of lovely eyes,

  12. وغناء معربة يجا

    وبها غنا عجم فصاحِ

    and an eloquent songstress's singing, answered

    by the song of the wordless yet eloquent,

  13. أني لاهوى ضجة الن

    ندمان في فلق الصباحِ

    that I indeed love the clamor of

    boon companions at the break of dawn,

  14. والمدح للمولى أبي ال

    فضل الكريم المستماحِ

    and praise is for the lord Abu al-

    Fadl, the generous, whose gifts are sought:

  15. رب السِّرى قمر الندى

    شمس الهدى أسد الكفاحِ

    master of night journeys, moon of generosity,

    sun of guidance, lion of combat.

  16. مثلوم مال حين يس

    أل رفده ملثوم راحِ

    His wealth is diminished whenever

    his bounty is sought; his palms are kissed.

  17. أعداؤه في النوح من

    ه وآملوه في التياحِ

    His enemies mourn because of

    him, while those who hope in him rejoice.

  18. أحيا إذا سئل المكا

    رم من مخبّأة رداحِ

    More bashful, when asked for acts of

    generosity, than a secluded, full-figured maiden,

  19. وأشد متقح بسي

    ف في ململمةٍ رداحٍ

    and the fiercest attacker with a

    sword amid a vast, massed army.

  20. وكأنه ليث بع

    ثر عند مشتجر الرماحِ

    And he is like a lion in

    ʿAththar, amid the tangle of spears,

  21. ذو السؤدد العبق الصري

    ح المجد والنسب الصراحِ

    possessed of fragrant lordship, of pure

    glory and unalloyed lineage.

  22. وأحل من رحالهم

    منه وثوقا بالنجاحِ

    And I alight, one of their travelers,

    trusting to find success through him,

  23. في رفقةٍ عصب طلا

    ح فوق أنضاءٍ طلاحِ

    in a band of sinewy, weary

    men upon emaciated, weary mounts.

  24. ما إن على مطري أَبي ال

    فضل الممدح من جناحِ

    No blame attends one who extols Abu al-

    Fadl, the much-praised:

  25. ملك له عزم يفل

    ل بعزمه غرب الصفاحِ

    a king with resolve, who blunts

    the keen edges of swords with his resolve,

  26. وخلائق معسولة

    كالخمر والماء القراحِ

    and whose qualities are honey-sweet,

    like wine and pure water.

  27. مولاي مجد الدين دي

    نك دائما حب السماحِ

    My lord Majd al-Din, your creed

    is ever the love of generosity.

  28. ما لاح بشرك لامرىء

    إلا وأيقن بالفلاحِ

    Never has your smile shone on a man

    without his becoming certain of success.

  29. بك أصلح الدهر الخؤو

    ن وكف من غرب الجماحِ

    Through you, treacherous Time was set right,

    and the sharp edge of its unruliness was curbed.