نَسِيَتني حَوادِثُ الأَيّامِ

وَصَفَت عيشَتي وَقَلَّ اِهتِمامي

The events of time have made me forget

The misfortunes of the days have forgotten me,

And diminished my interest in living

My life has turned serene, and my cares are few.

أَقطَعُ الدَهرَ بِالنَدامى الكِرامِ

وَرُكوبِ الهَوى وَشُربِ المُدامِ

I pass time in revelry and drink

I cut through time with noble drinking companions,

And a gazelle that captivates souls when she inclines

Riding the steed of passion and quaffing wine,

وَغَزالٍ يَسبي النُفوسَ إِذا هَت

تَكَ مِنهُ مَآزِرَ الإِحرامِ

Her ornaments of pilgrimage from him

And with a gazelle who ravishes souls when he

I have enjoyed him in my vigils

Tears away the garments of sacred consecration.

قَد تَمَتَّعتُ مِنهُ في يَقَظاتي

وَبِطَيفِ الخَيالِ في الأَحلامِ

And in a dream vision at night

I have taken pleasure in him during my waking hours,

I have embraced him and our night guard upon us

And through the phantom of imagination in dreams.

وَتَبَطَّنتُهُ وَحارِسُنا اللَي

لُ عَلَينا مِنهُ لِحافُ ظَلامِ

From him is a cover of darkness

I held him close, and our watchman was the night,

My proud soul refused except

Casting over us a coverlet of darkness.

أَنِفَت نَفسِيَ العَزيزَةُ أَن تَق

نَعَ إِلّا بِكُلِّ شَيءٍ حَرامِ

To be content with everything forbidden

My proud soul disdained to ever find contentment

No matter when it is, for I have attained

Save in the pursuit of all that is forbidden.

ما أُبالي مَتى يَكونُ وَقَد قَض

ضَيتُ مِنهُ السُرورَ كَأسُ حِمامي

From him pleasure like the cup of my dove

I care not when it comes, now that I have attained

My full joy of him—the cup of my own death.