أَلا رُبَّ يَومٍ لي بِبابِ الزَخارِفِ

رَقيقِ حَواشي الحُسنِ حُلوِ المَراشِفِ

Oh, the days when I was at the door of delights,

With the delicate edges of beauty, the pillows softly scented.

لَهَوتُ بِهِ وَالدَهرُ وَسنانُ ذاهِلٌ

وَغُصنُ الصِبا رَيّانُ لَدنُ المَعاطِفِ

I sported there, while time and the tooth of decay were destroying me,

And the branch of youth was still dewy and the garments still new.

أُعاطي تَحايا الكَأسِ وَالأُنسِ فِتيَةٌ

تَخايَلُ سودَ العُذرِ بيضَ السَوالِفِ

I gave the gifts of the cup and of company to young men

Who vied in casting the darkness of excuses over the whiteness of sincerity.

وَذَيلُ رِداءِ الغَيمِ يَخفِقُ وَالصَبا

تَحُثُّ وَمَوجُ النَهرِ ضَخمُ الرَوادِفِ

And the train of the robe of the cloud was fluttering, and the zephyr

Was stirring, and the wave of the river, mountainous in its billows.

يَطيرُ بِنا فيهِ شِراعٌ كَأَنَّهُ

إِذا ضَرَبَتهُ الريحُ أَحشاءُ خائِفِ

In it would fly a sail like the bosom of one in fear when

The wind smote it.

وَقَد بَلَّ أَعطافَ الرُبى دَمعُ مُزنَةٍ

تَحَيَّرَ في جَفنٍ مِنَ النورِ طارِفِ

And there had wet the edge of the silk garment a tear of sadness

Perplexed in an eye filled from the light with keenness.

زَمانٌ تَوَلّى بَينَ كَأسٍ تَليدَةٍ

تُدارُ وَعَيشٍ لِلحَداثَةِ طارِفِ

A time that has passed, between a vintage cup I once quaffed

And a life of delight destined soon to depart;

وَشَمسٍ كَلَألاءِ الزُجاجَةِ طَلقَةٍ

وَظِلٍّ كَرَيعانِ الشَبيبَةِ وارِفِ

A sun like the glass of the cup when t’is filled,

A shade like the youthful down on the cheek.