نَديمي داِ بِالخَمرِ الخُمارا

أَدر كَأسي يَميناً أَو يَسارا

My boon companion, pass round the wine,

Pour a cup now to the right or left.

مُشَعشَعَةً إِذا ما صَفَقوها

بِماءٍ خِلتَها نوراً وَنارا

When they clash the cups glittering,

With water pure it glows like light and fire.

لَها مِن مَولِدَي موسى وَعيسى

شَرابٌ لِليَهودِ وَلِلنَصارى

From my birth its nature took

A draught for Jew and Nazarene.

سَقى اللَهُ الحِمى وَرَعى لَيالٍ

بِهِ وَبِأَهلِهِ كانَت قِصارا

God gave the zealotry to drink and tended

The weak ones through its dearth.

وَمَسمَعَةً إِذا ما شِئتَ غَنَّت

أَلا حَيِّ المَنازِلَ وَالدِيارا

A speaking-trumpet, if you wish it sing,

Hail to the dwellings and the ruins!

بَدَت بَدراً وَماجَت دِعصَ رَملٍ

وَماسَت بانَةً وَشَدَت هَزارا

It rose a full moon, then did dash

A torrent's eddies into sparkling spray.

إِذا غازَلتُها أَو غازَلَتني

تَأَمَّلتُ الفَرَزدَقَ وَالنَوّارا

If I flirt with it or it flirts with me,

I think of Farazdaq and Nowarra.

وَيَومَ غَدَت تُعيرُني بِشَيبي

وَقَد رَأَتِ السَكينَةِ والوَقارا

And when it chides me for my grey hairs,

Though it has seen composure and dignity,

وَما في الشَيبِ عِندَ الناسِ عَيبٌ

إِذا ما عادَ لَيلُهُمُ نَهارا

Grey hair men do not think a defect

If their night returns again to day.

ولَكِن في الشَبابِ خُزَعبَلاتٌ

لِمَن يَهوى العَذارى وَالعِذارا

But in the young there are frivolities

For him who loves the maidens and the chaste.