أَعرِض عَنِ الرَبعِ إِن مَرَرتَ بِهِ

وَاِشرَب مِنَ الخَمرِ أَنتَ أَصفاها

Turn away from the ruined encampment if you pass it by,

And drink of the wine, choosing only the purest,

مِن قَهوَةٍ مُزَّةٍ مُعَتَّقَةٍ

عَتَّقَها دَنُّها وَرَبّاها

A tangy vintage, aged long in time,

Which the earthen jar has reared and matured.

لَمّا أَتَيتُ الدِهقانَ أَخطُبُها

مِن بَينِ أَصهارِها وَأَحماها

When I came to the tavern-keeper to ask for her hand,

From amidst her in-laws and her kin,

قالَ مَنِ الخاطِبونَ قُلتُ لَهُ

فِتيانُ صِدقٍ فَقالَ أَكفاها

He asked, "Who are the suitors?" and I replied,

"Youths of honor." He answered, "They are worthy of her."

حَتّى إِذا حَطَّها وَأَنزَلَها

وَفَكَّ عَنها الخِتامَ فَدّاها

So when he brought her down and lowered her,

And broke her seal, offering himself as her ransom,

قَد غَبَرَت في الدِنانِ مَسكَنُها

وَطَحتَ ظِلِّ العَريشِ مَأواها

She had long lingered within the jars, her dwelling,

With the shade of the vine-trellis as her sanctuary.

قُلتُ لِعِلجَينِ عالِمَينِ بِها

في خِفيَةٍ دونَكُم فَسُلّاها

I said to two servants well-versed in her nature,

"In secrecy, take her now and draw her forth."

فَاِبتَدَرَتها السُقاةُ تَسكُبُها

فَصَرَّعَتنا لَمّا شَرِبناها

So the cupbearers hastened to pour her out,

And she laid us low the moment we drank her.