ملكتني المدامة الخندريس

وغزالٌ يرنو وطرفٌ يميس

The aged wine has mastered me,

and a gazelle that gazes, and a noble steed that struts.

إنما يملك النفوس فتعصي

ناصحيها ما تشتهيه النفوس

What masters souls, making them disobey

their counselors, is only what those souls desire.

قد ألفت الصبا وإن لحظتني

فيه من عاذلي لواحظ شوس

I have grown fond of youthful dalliance, even if I am eyed

for it by my reproacher's scowling glances.

رب يومٍ لهوت فيه بأبكا

رٍ حسان كأنهن شموس

Many a day I made merry with maidens,

fair, as though they were suns.

حضرتنا السعود فيه وغابت

عن ذرانا فلم تطرنا النحوس

Lucky stars attended us that day, and unlucky stars vanished

from our heights, so they did not frighten us.

للقماري به غناء وللرو

ض ابتسامٌ وللغيوم عبوس

There the turtledoves have song, and the garden

a smile, while the clouds have a frown.