وَخَمّارٍ أَنَختُ إِلَيهِ رَحلي

إِناخَةَ قاطِنٍ وَاللَيلُ داجِ

To a wine merchant I made my camel kneel,

Settling in to stay while the night was dark.

فَقُلتُ لَهُ اِسقِني صَهباءَ صِرفاً

إِذا مُزِجَت تَوَقَّدُ كَالسِراجِ

I said to him, "Pour me a golden vintage, pure,"

"Which, when mixed with water, ignites like a lamp."

فَقالَ فَإِنَّ عِندي بِنتَ عَشرٍ

فَقُلتُ لَهُ مَقالَةَ مَن يُناجي

He replied, "I possess a daughter of ten years."

So I answered him with the intimacy of a whisper:

أَذِقنيها لِأَعلَمَ ذاكَ مِنها

فَأَبرَزَ قَهوَةً ذاتِ اِرتِجاجِ

"Let me taste her, that I may verify this claim."

So he brought forth a wine that seemed to quiver,

كَأَنَّ بَنانَ مُمسِكِها أُشيمَت

خِضاباً حينَ تَلمَعُ في الزُجاجِ

As if the fingertips of the one holding it were dyed

With henna, as it shimmered within the glass.

فَقُلتُ صَدَقتَ يا خَمّارُ هَذا

شَرابٌ قَد يَطولُ إِلَيهِ حاجي

I said, "You have spoken the truth, O Vintner; this"

"Is a drink for which my longing has been long."

فَمالَ إِلَيَّ حينَ رَأى سُروري

بِها وَاللَيلُ مُرتَكِبُ الرِتاجِ

He leaned toward me when he saw my delight

In the cup, while the night had bolted its heavy gates.

فَما هَجَمَ الصَباحُ عَلَيَّ حَتّى

رَأَيتُ الأَرضَ دائِرَةَ الفِجاجِ

And the morning did not raid upon me until

I saw the earth spinning in its wide tracks.