وَمُستَهامٍ بِشُربِ الراحِ باكَرَها

عَذراءَ في جيدِها طَوقٌ مِنَ الذَهَبِ

Intoxicated with drinking wine at dawn,

A maiden with a golden necklace round her neck.

فَغادَرَتهُ صَريعاً لا اِنقِيادَ لَهُ

كَأَنَّما أَخَذَت بِالثَأرِ لِلعِنَبِ

She left him laid low, with no will to resist,

As though taking vengeance for the grapes.

وَاِستَأسَرَت عَقلَهُ حيناً كَما أُسِرَت

في دَنِّها حِقَباً مِن غَيرِ ما سَبَبِ

She captivated his mind for a time, as she was

Held captive in her weakness without cause.

فَحينَ أَضحى طَليقاً أَعقَبَتهُ عَلى

ما كانَ فيهِ مِنَ الأَفراحِ وَاللَعِبِ

When at last he was free, what followed for him

Were the joys and games that had been.

داءً تَقومُ مَقامَ الأَسرِ سَورَتُهُ

دَواؤُهُ عَودُ ما قَد كانَ مِن طَرَبِ

An illness took the place of captivity, its cure

The medicine of what had been such delight.

فَقامَ يُذهِبُ ذاكَ الداءَ عَنهُ بِها

ما بَينَ زَهرٍ كَياقوتٍ عَلى القُضُبِ

He set about dispelling that illness with her,

Amidst ruby flowers on the branches.

وَظَلَّ يَشرَبُ دُرّاً ذَهَبٌ

رَطبٌ عَلى دُرَرٍ يَبسِمنَ عَن ذَهَبِ

He continued drinking a pure draught - gold -

Ripe fruit on pearls that smiled from the gold.

وَلَيسَ يَعذِلُهُ في الراحِ غَيرُ فَتىً

غِرٍّ بَغَدرِ صُروفِ الدَهرِ وَالنُوَبِ

And none would reproach him for the wine except a lad -

Fickle at the whims of fate and time's changes.