بَينَ فُؤَادِي وخَدِّهِ نَسَبُ

كِلاَهُمَا بِالجَحِيمِ يَلْتَهِبُ

Between my heart and his cheek there is kinship

Both are inflamed in hellfire

هُمَا سَوَاءُ وَالفَرْقُ بَيْنَهُمَا

أَنَّهُمَا سَاكِنٌ وَمُضْطَرِبُ

They are equal, yet differ in that

One is calm, the other perturbed

وَلي عَلى عَاذِلي حُقُوقُ هَوَىً

عَليهِ شُكْرِي بِبَعْضِهَا يَجِبُ

And I owe my critic rights of passion

With some gratitude I am bound

لاَمَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ هَامَ بِه

فَكُنْتُ في عِشْقِهِ أَنَأ السَّبَبُ

I blamed him not when love for him seized me

Thus for his love was I the cause

وَقَائلٍ والهَوَى يُرَنِّحُنَا

ونَالَ مِنَّا السُّروُرُ والطَّرَبُ

When it was said love makes us grieve

We knew joy and were gladdened

حَلَّتْ لَنَا الرَّاحُ مِنْ لَوَاحِظِه

فَلْيَحْرُمُ الخَمْرُ بَعْدُ وَالعِنَبُ

Relief came to us from his glances

So let wine and grapes be forbidden thereafter

خُذَا نَدِيْمَيَّ سَلْوَتي لَكُمَا

عَطَاءَ مَنْ لاَ يَمُنُّ إِذْ يَهِبُ

Take, my two friends, my solace for you

A gift from one who favors when he gives

وَخَلِّيَاني وَقَهْوَةً جُلِيَتْ

لَيْسَتْ سِوَى الثَّغْرِ فَوْقَهُ حَبَبُ

Leave me coffee that was refined

Naught but lips above it are beloved

إِنِّي امْرؤٌ مِنْ عِصَابَةٍ كَرُمَتْ

أَذْهَبُ فِي الحُبِّ حَيْثُمَا ذَهَبُوا

I am a man of a generous company

I go wherever in love they go

سُقُوا وَلَمْ يَسْكَروُا وَكَمْ فِئَةٍ

أَسْكَرَهُمْ عِطْرُهَا وَمَا شَرِبُوا

They drank yet were not drunk, and how many a troop

Was intoxicated by their scent, and not their drink

دُعُوا إلى بَابِ عَلْوَةٍ كَرَماً

وَوَجْهُهُا بِالجَمَالِ مُحْتَجِبُ

They were called to the abode of excellence in kindness

And its beautiful face was veiled

فَقَدَّمُوا سَجْدَةً وَهُمْ زُمُرٌ

لِغَافِرٍ سَبَّحَ اسْمَهُ الأَدَبُ

So they bowed in ranks, cultured men

Who exalted in praise the Giver’s name

عَيَّنَتْ العَيْنُ مِنْهُمُ أَثَراً

لأَنَّهُمْ في بِقَائِهَا سُلِبوُا

The eye singled out among them a trace

For they were deprived of its lasting

فَمَا دَرَى صَاعِدٌ بِمُنْحَدِرٍ

وَلاَ الْتَقَى ذَاهِبٌ وَمُنْقَلِبُ

So ascender knows not descender

Nor does goer meet returner