ليالي بعتُ العاذِلين إمامَتي

بِفَتكي وَوَليتُ الوشاة أَذاني

Nights I sold my spiritual guidance

To debauchery and gave my ears to slanderers.

وَإِذ لي ندمانان ساقٍ وَقينةٌ

رَشيقان بِالأَرواحِ يَمتَزِجانِ

When I had two boon companions, a cup and a goblet,

Flowing with spirits, intermingling.

أَمدُّ إِلى الطاووسِ في تارَةٍ يَدي

وَفي تارة آوي إِلى الوَرَشانِ

At times I would reach out to the peacock,

At others take refuge in the songbird.

وَكُنت أديرُ الكَأس حَتَّى أَراهما

يَميلان مِن سُكرٍ وَيَعتدلانِ

I would pass the cup until I saw them both

Reeling from drunkenness and swaying.

فَكانا بِما في الجسم مِن رقَّةٍ الضَّنى

يَكادان عِندَ الضَمِّ يَلتَقيانِ

With the delicacy in their bodies from the wine,

When pressed close they would almost merge.

وَنفضي إِلى نَومٍ فَإِن كُنتَ جاهِلاً

مَكاني فَوسطى العقد كانَ مَكاني

I would rouse to a sleep. If you are ignorant,

My place was midmost the row - that was my place.

فَلو تبصرُ المضنى وَبدراه حَوله

لَقُلتَ السها مِن حَوله القمرانِ

If you could see the radiant full moon and around it

The Pleiades, you would say the latter are two moons.

وَما بيَ فَخرٌ بِالفجورِ وَإِنَّما

نَصيبُ فُجوري الرشفُ وَالشفتانِ

I have no pride in debauchery, but rather

My share of debauchery is a nose and two lips.