قد يزيد المدامَ للمرء طيباً

حسنُ مسموعه وظَرفُ نديمهْ

Wine may increase pleasure for a man,

The beauty of its color and the wit of his companion.

فدع الفكر في الزمان وخذها

مُزّةَ الطّعم من قِطافِ كرومِهْ

Let go of worrying about time and take it -

The delicious flavor from the harvest of its vines.

أشرقت تحت ظلمة الليل حتى

خلت أقداحها بوادي نجومه

It shone under the darkness of night until

Its cups became a valley of stars.

وغناءٍ عذب غَنِينَا به عن

حِذْق إسحاقِه وإبراهيمهْ

With sweet singing we did without

The artistry of Isaac and Abraham.

صَدْحةٌ بعد صَدْحَةٍ فهو كاللؤ

لؤ في نثره وفي منظومه

A draft after draft, so it was like pearls -

Scattered in its prose and poetry.

ونسيم أرقّ من خَصر من أه

وى وأحلى في النفس من ملثومه

A breeze gentler than the waist of a loved one

And sweeter to the soul than her kiss.

ربِّ سَقِّ دَيْرَ القصير فأني

نلتُ لذّاته وطيبَ نسيمِه

My Lord, water the short monastery, for I

Have attained its pleasures and the goodness of its breeze.