نَديمي قُم فَقَد صَفَت العُقارِ

وَقَد غَنّى عَلى الأَيكِ الهَزارُ

My friend, arise, for the stars have set,

And the love-crazed nightingales their song have met.

إِلى كَم ذا التَواني في الأَماني

أَفِق ما العُمرُ إِلّا مُستَعارُ

How long this procrastination in desires?

Awake! Life is but a loaned affair.

وَخُذها مِن يَدَي ظَبيٍ غَريرٍ

بِعَينيهِ فُتورٌ وَاِنكِسارُ

Take the cup from the hand of a fawn-eyed gazelle

With languid eyes and broken heart, so frail.

غَزالٌ في لَواحِظِهِ لُيوثٌ

وَفي وَجَناتِهِ ماءٌ وَنارُ

A gazelle, yet lions in her glances leap,

And in her cheeks, there lies both water and fire deep.

إِذا ما اللَيلُ جَنَّ عَلى أُناسٍ

تَجَلّى مِن ثَناياهُ النَهارُ

When the night casts its veil on all mankind,

From its folds the morn emerges bright to find.

يَقولُ لِيَ العَذولُ تَسَلَّ عَنهُ

وَما عُذري وَقَد دَبَّ العِذارُ

The censurers say, “Forget about her!”

But how can I, when blame is rife and stir?

فَصَبراً لِلنَوى بَعدَ التَداني

فَلولا الخَمرُ ما ذُمَّ الخُمارُ

Have patience with the beloved after union,

Else without wine, the tavern is no boon.