أَدِرها عَلى النَدمانِ نَوحِيَّةَ العَهدِ

وَهاتِ لَعَلّي أَن أَسَكِّنَ مِن وَجدي

Turn it to one who mourns the days gone by

Circulate among the companions a vintage of Noah's age,

Perhaps I may find rest for all my sighs

And bring it forth, that I might soothe the burning of my soul.

لُبابُ مُدامٍ أُغفِلَت بِمُسَكِّنَة

مِنَ الأَرضِ أَو كانَت حَبيساً عَلى عَمدِ

Wine long forgotten or hidden underground

The pure essence of wine, left unheeded in a silent place,

Confined in some tomb where it patiently lies

Buried within the earth, or held in deliberate confinement.

تَحَيَّرَتِ الأَوهامُ دونَ سِفاتِها

وَجَلَّت صِفاتٌ عَن شَبيهٍ وَعَن نِدِّ

Thoughts perplexed, her face they fail to trace

Illusions are bewildered before its attributes,

No peer in virtue, beauty, or in grace

And its qualities rise above all likeness and peer.

أَتَت دونَها الأَيّامُ إِلّا بَقِيَّةً

تَدِقُّ لِلُطفٍ أَن تُضافَ إِلى حَدِّ

Only fond memory of days now past

The days have worn it down until only a remnant survives,

Remains, but even this too shall not last

Too subtle in spirit to be bound by any definition.

أَشَمساً أَعَرتَ الكَأسَ أَم هِيَ لَمعَةٌ

مِنَ البَرقِ أَم أَقبَلتَ بِالكَوكَبِ السَعدِ

Sun or lightning, your cup glows bright

Have you lent a sun to the cup, or is this a flash

Star of fortune, you come my plight to cast

Of lightning, or do you approach with the Star of Fortune?

فَقالَ مُدامٌ خِلطُ ماءِ سَحابَةٍ

قَرينَةُ أُمِّ الدَهرِ تِربَينِ في المَهدِ

Wine replies, I'm but a cloud's mist

He replied: "It is wine, tempered with the water of clouds,

Twin of Time, cradled as an infant at last

Partner to the Mother of Time, playmates in the cradle."

مَدَدتُ لَها الأَجفانَ مِن خَوفِ نورِها

عَلى بَصَرٍ قَد كادَ حينَ بَدَت يودي

My eyes I shield, her light brings me fear

I shielded my eyes with my lids in fear of its radiance,

Nearly blinding as she first appears

Guarding a sight that nearly perished when it gleamed.

أَلا أَدنِها تَنأَ الهُمومُ لِقُربِها

فَتَنقُلَها مِن دارِ قُربٍ إِلى بُعدِ

Come close and drive away all my gloom

Oh, bring it near! For sorrows flee at its approach,

Take me from loneliness to your perfumed room

Transporting them from the abode of nearness to the far void.

فَناوَلَني فَوقَ المُنى مِن يَمينِهِ

مَريضَ جُفونِ العَينِ مُعتَدِلَ القَدِّ

He handed me over all I hoped to gain

Then he handed me, surpassing all wishes, with his right hand—

Curing sick eyes, perfectly formed and sane

A youth with languid eyelids and a slender, balanced form,

مَطِيَّةُ فُسّاقٍ وَقِبلَةُ ماجِنٍ

أَليفُ سَماعٍ لا نَزورٍ وَلا مُكدي

Kisses of passion and lover's embrace

The steed of the dissolute, the prayer-focus of the rake,

Sweet to hear, no misery or disgrace

A companion of song, neither scarce in visits nor stingy.