كَأسَكَ قد آذَنَكَ العُودُ

ومُسْمِعٌ أصْحَلُ غِرّيدُ

Your cup announced to you the lute

And a warbler with a thrilling trill.

فارغب عن النوم إلى قهوةٍ

تَحْيَى بها السَّرَّاءُ والجودُ

So turn from sleep to coffee

Where cheer and generosity are fulfilled.

حَسْبُك بالرَّاح صباحاً وإن

قلت رُواقُ الليل ممدودُ

The morning breeze suffices you, though

You say the night's expanse is outspread.

يا عاذلي في شُربها ناصحاً

نُصْحك في جيْبِك مردودُ

O you who blame me as I drink it, advising,

Your advice in your pocket will be put back.

لا أشرب الماءَ على وجهه

ما جاد بالصَّهْباء عُنْقُودُ

I drink not water in its essence,

Unless freely flowed by the vine's cluster.

يا خالد السَّوْءات لا تَهْجُني

فأنت في شِعْرِك مكدودُ

O Khaled who reproaches evil deeds, chide me not

For in your verse you yourself are maligned.

وكل كيدٍ كِدْتَه راجعٌ

عليك والمحدود محدودُ

And every plot you plotted comes back

Upon you - the limited is limited.

إذ أنت لا تَنْفَكُّ من قائلٍ

يقول والمحفلُ مشهودُ

Since you cannot stop someone saying,

Speaking, while the assembly listens.

لو كنتَ من قَحْطَانَ لمْ تَهْجُهُ

وقَوْمُهُ الفُرْسُ الصَّناديدُ

Had you been of Qahtan, you'd not disparaged him,

Whose nobles are the valorous knights.

فكلَّما عارَضْتَني هاجياً

فَهْو لِقولي فيك تأكيدُ

So whenever you attack me with insults,

It only confirms what I say of you.

كذاك من حاربني خانه

سلاحُهُ واللّه محمودُ

Thus whoever fought me betrayed himself;

His weapon, by God, is praised.