توهمت أمراً فلم أنبس
بحرف وناديت بالأكؤس
I conceived a thought, but uttered not
I imagined something, so I did not utter
a word; instead, I called for goblets
A word, and called for cups
حميا كأن سنا نورها
سنا بارق لاح في الحندس
of heady wine, as though the radiance of its light
Zealously, as though its light were
were the gleam of lightning flashing through pitch darkness.
A lightning flash that gleamed in polished Indian steel
يعاطيكها رشأ طرفه
سريع إلى تلف الأنفس
A gazelle-like youth passes it to you, his glance
Whose glance impetuously surveys
swift to bring souls to ruin,
The souls of men with haste and restlessness
بخد يروقك توريده
وعين تنوب عن النرجس
with a cheek whose rosy bloom delights you,
With a cheek whose pallor pleases you
and an eye that takes the narcissus’s place.
And eyes that take the place of narcissus
له قلم أبداً ناطق
بأسعد قوم بالأنحس
He has a pen forever eloquent,
It has a tongue that ever speaks
pronouncing the most fortunate of men the most ill-starred.
Of the happiest people with the most misfortune
إذا ما انتضاه لأمر رمى
به الدهر عن صائبات القسي
Whenever he unsheathes it for some affair, Fate shoots
Whenever it is inspired to something
with it in place of the unerring arrows of bows.
Which time has cast upon the successful strokes of destiny
رآه الوزير على غاية
من الفضل تعلو على الخنس
The vizier saw him at a pinnacle
The minister saw him at a peak
of excellence rising above the retreating stars.
Of virtue rising above the lowly
Sol 5.6