ما استَكمَلَ اللَذّاتِ إِلّا فَتىً

يَشرَبُ وَالمُردُ نَداماهُ

None has perfected pleasure save the young man

Who drinks with beardless lads as his cup-companions.

هَذا يُفَدّيهِ وَهَذا إِذا

ناوَلَهُ القَهوَةَ حَيّاهُ

One offers his life as ransom for him, while another,

When handing him the wine, offers a salute.

وَكُلَّما اشتاقَ إِلى قُبلَةٍ

مِن واحِدٍ أَلثَمَهُ فاهُ

And whenever he yearns for a kiss

From one of them, he presses his lips to his mouth.

سَقياً لِدَهرٍ كُنتُ فيهِ لَهُم

مُعاشِراً ما كانَ أَحلاهُ

May rain bless a time when I was among them

As a close companion—how sweet it was!

نَشرَبُها صِرفاً وَلَم نَقتَرِع

وَشَرطُنا مَن نامَ نِلناهُ

We drank it pure, without drawing lots,

And our rule was: whoever fell asleep, we took him.