خلوت بها والراح ثالثة لنا

وجنح ظلام الليل قد مد وانبلج

I was alone with her, with darkness as our third,

I was alone with her, and wine was our third companion,

And the wings of night spread over us, dense and obscure.

while the wing of night's darkness stretched out and began to gleam.

فتاةً عدمت العيش إلا بقربها

فهل لنا في ابتغاء العيش ويحك من حرج

A girl - without her nearness life was naught.

A maiden, without whose nearness I would have no life at all,

So was it wrong to seek life, ah what a sin!

so tell me, woe to you, is there any blame in seeking to live?

كأني والكأس والخمر والدجى

ثرى وحيا والدر والتبر والشبج

As though we three were soil, and life, and pearl,

As though I, the cup, the wine, and the dark of night,

And brow, and wine, and dim night, and a star aglow.

were earth, rain, pearl, pure gold, and jet.