وَقَولٍ قُلتُهُ فَأَصَبتُ فيهِ

وَلَم أَحفِل مَقالَةَ مَن لَحاني

Words I have spoken and therein succeeded,

And a declaration I made, wherein I struck the truth,

Heeding not the talk of him who blamed me.

Heeding not the speech of the one who chides me:

عِناقُ الغانِياتِ أَلَذُّ عِندي

وَأَشهى مِن مُعانَقَةِ السِنانِ

The embrace of singing girls is sweetest to me,

The embrace of enchanting women is sweeter to me,

And dearer than the clasping of white arms.

And more desirable than the clasp of the spearhead.

وَيَومٌ عِندَ نَدمانٍ كَريمٍ

يُجاوِبُ فيهِ أَوتارَ القِيانِ

A day with a noble knight spent in sport

And a day with a generous drinking companion,

Is better than a thousand thrusts with lances.

Who harmonizes with the strings of the singing-girls,

يُواتيني النَديمُ عَلى التَصابي

أَلَذُّ إِلَيَّ مِن يَومِ الطِعانِ

When my boon companion comes to visit me,

A comrade who indulges my youthful passion,

More pleasant is it than the day of spearing.

Is more delicious to me than a day of battle-thrusts.