1. Roam with the army of delights, O flock of passions,
And grasp the cup as a banner in your right hand.

2. Sheath not the blades of your resolve; unsheathe for them
The scabbards of rapture turned inside out.

3. The stars of the goblets have risen in glory
Since they encountered the stars of jasmine.

4. The shadows of slender wine glasses on the cheek
Tell tales of dalliance in languid eyes.

5. Solace me, and wipe away the tears in my eyes
With a draft as soothing as tears of sorrow.

6. String together the essences of flowers and hidden
Wine to the essence of treasured love.

7. And on the eve of intimacy shape them into a necklace—
The king of Persia has none finer.

8. How could you allow one into our drinking party
Whose glances pierce hearts that guard no secret?

9. He rose to pour the wine but only let fall
A sprinkle, so smug in his power to intoxicate.

10. His talk took on a melody, making song itself
Superfluous, together with musical scales.

11. Lo, the fire of shame in Moses’ cheek
Is an eternal garden, fruitful at all times.

12. By my oath, though I swear I do not love him,
I am forsworn, having lied on the book.

13. A full moon that bears the charms of spells—
He is madness yet the source of madness.

14. Had his saliva graced me it would have cured
My heart’s grief with a guarded pearl.

15. In pitch darkness I am bold,
Yet a coward in the light of that fair brow.

16. Poetry has inscribed upon it the letter ‘s’, but I have
Warded it with the ‘y’ of that gorgeous ‘s’.

17. I fear the eyes of gazelles, and yet
It may be lions’ hearts I ought to fear.

18. So here am I—the leopard who falls prey to deer
When no lion carries him off to his lair.

19. How they’ve forbidden me to love Moses! Those who rebuke me—
Should I make excuses, they excuse me;

20. They exalt him, yet no palms are chopped off
As punishment—only their own hearts through envy.

21. Would that I had gained from him small favor and delayed
The night of consummation till after the death of longing!

22. Would that we might read—and closely—the chapter “His Embrace,”
Omitting the critic within like the vowel sign.