أَنا وَاللَهِ مُشتاقٌ

إِلى الحيرَةِ وَالخَمرِ

By God, I am consumed with longing

For the city of Al-Hirah and for wine,

وَأَصواتِ النَواقيسِ

عَلى الزيراتِ بِالفَجرِ

And the peeling of the church bells

Resounding over the wine jars at dawn,

وَمُشتاقٍ إِلى الحانا

تِ يَومَ الذَبحِ وَالنَحرِ

And I yearn for the taverns

On the day of feast and sacrifice,

وَمُفنٍ في طِلابِ المُر

دِ وَالخَمرِ مَعاً وَفري

Squandering, in pursuit of beardless youths

And wine together, my entire fortune.

أَما وَاللَهِ لَو تَسمَ

عُ ما قُلتُ مِنَ الشِعرِ

Nay, by God, if you were to hear

The verses of poetry I have composed,

لَآيَستَ مِنِ فلاحي

يَقيناً آخِرَ العُمرِ

You would surely despair of my salvation

With certainty, until the end of my days.