يا رُبَّ مَن أَسفاهُ أَحلامُهُ

أَن قيلَ يَوماً إِنَّ عَمراً سَكور

O Lord, who made his dreams wretched

That it was once said that Amr is drunk

إِن أَكُ مِسكيراً فَلا أَشرَبُ

وَغلاً وَلا يَسلَمُ مِنّي البَعير

If I were a drunkard, I wouldn’t drink

Wine or camel urine, nor would the camel be safe from me

وَالزِقُ مُلكٌ لِمَن كانَ لَهُ

وَالمُلكُ فيهِ طَويلٌ وَقَصير

Sovereignty belongs to those who possess it

In it are the long and the short

فيهِ الصَبوحُ الَّذي يَجعَلُني

لَيثَ عِفِرّينَ وَالمالُ كَثير

In it is the morning draught that makes me

A snarling lion with plenty of wealth

فَأَوَّلَ اللَيلِ فَتىً ماجِدٌ

وَآخِرَ اللَيلِ ضِبعانٌ عَثور

At the beginning of the night a glorious youth

At the end of the night a fallen drunk

قاتَلَكِ اللَهُ مِن مَشروبَةٍ

لَو أَنَّ مِرَّةٍ ذا عَنكِ صَبور

May God destroy you, you intoxicating drink

If only you would be patient with me once