1. سيدي ما أظنه

    بعد يدري بما جرى

    My master—I do not think he

    yet knows what has happened.

  2. ما درى أن عبده

    فلسه قد تقشرا

    He has not learned that his servant's

    copper coin has lost its coating,

  3. عند قومٍ معروفهم

    في قد صار منكرا

    among people whose kindness

    toward me has turned to unkindness.

  4. كنتُ كالمسك مرةً

    بالدنانير أشتري

    I was once like musk,

    bought with dinars.

  5. فأنا اليوم بعد ما

    صرت شيخاً كما ترى

    So I, today, now that

    I have grown old, as you see,

  6. عبدُ من عنده نبي

    ذٌ إذا كان أحمرا

    am a slave to whoever has wine,

    provided it is red:

  7. خمرةٌ دنُّها يض

    من مسكاً وعنبرا

    wine whose jar contains

    musk and ambergris.

  8. كم فمٍ ذاقها فطا

    ب وقد كان أبخرا

    How many a mouth has tasted it and grown fragrant,

    though its breath was once foul!

  9. وغلامٍ بكأسها

    راح يسعى وبكرا

    And many a youth, with its cup,

    hurried about in the evening and early morning.

  10. هو فينا بريحها

    عبق قد تعطرا

    He is among us, with its scent,

    fragrant, having perfumed himself.

  11. ظل يفسو وعندنا

    أنه قد تبخرا

    He kept farting, yet we thought

    he had scented himself with incense.