نَسيمُ المُدامِ وَبَردُ السَحَر

هُما هَيَّجا الشَوقَ حَتّى ظَهَر

The breeze of wine and the chill of dawn

Stirred my longing till it was reborn

تَقولُ اِجتَنِب دارَنا بِالنَهار

وَزُرنا إِذا غابَ ضَوءُ القَمَر

Saying, “Avoid our home in daylight

And visit when the moon’s light fades away

فَإِنَّ لَنا حَرساً إِن رَأَوكَ

نَدِمتَ وَأُعطوا عَلَيكَ الظَفَر

For we have guards - if they espy you

You’ll regret it, they’ll be given the day

وَكَم صَنَعَ اللَهُ مِن مَرَّةٍ

عَلَيهِم وَقَد أُمِروا بِالحَذَر

And how often has God confounded

Those on their guard, try as they may

سَقى اللَهُ بَغدادَ مِن بَلدَةٍ

وَساكِنَ بَغداد صَوبَ المَطَر

God has watered Baghdad with a cloud

While Baghdad's dwellers face the rain

وَنُبِّئتُ أَنَّ جَواري القُصو

رِ صَيَّرنَ ذِكرى حَديث السَمَر

And I'm told the maids of the palaces

Made my name their night talk again

أَلا رُبَّ سائِلَةٍ بِالعِرا

قِ عَنّي وَأُخرى تُطيلُ الفِكَر

Oh, how many a questioner in Iraq

Asks after me, and thinks and thinks more

تَقولُ عَهِدنا أَبا وائِلٍ

كَظَبي الفَلاةِ المَليحِ الحَوَر

Saying, our pact was with Abul Wael*

Like a graceful doe far from man's roar"

لَيالي كُنتُ أَزورُ القيان

كَأَنَّ ثِيابي بَهارُ الشَجَر

Nights I used to visit the taverns

As if my clothes were perfumed attire