1. قم نصطبح من قهوة بكر

    حتى ترى صرعى من السكر

    Rise, let us drink virgin wine at dawn,

    Until you see people felled by drunkenness.

  2. أنفٍ تناساها الورى حتى

    لم تجر في بالٍ ولا ذكر

    Untouched—humankind had forgotten it, so that

    It was neither thought of nor mentioned.

  3. فترى الدنان وما حوت منها

    كجوانحٍ طويت على فكر

    So you see the wine jars and what they hold of it,

    Like ribcages closed around thoughts.

  4. تفحت فقلت المسك أو ما قد

    أحيا أبو عيسى من الذكر

    It gave off fragrance; I said: musk, or what

    Abū ʿĪsā has revived of renown.

  5. لا شيء يحكي طيبها إلا

    شيمٌ عذابٌ منه أو شكري

    Nothing matches its fragrance except

    His sweet virtues, or my gratitude.

  6. ما زلت أخبر من محاسنه

    قدماً بعرفٍ ليس بالنكر

    I have always been told of his virtues,

    Long since—of kindness, not wrongdoing.

  7. وأحن نحو لقائه طرباً

    كالطير إذ جنت إلى وكر

    And I yearn in rapture to meet him,

    Like birds when they grow frantic for a nest.

  8. فالآن شاهدت الذي يحكي

    ولقيت فيه الفضل للشكر

    So now I have seen what resembles it,

    And found in him bounty worthy of thanks.