رَأَيتُ العَيشَ ما كُنتُ

بِهِ المَغبوطَ في الناسِ

I beheld life as nothing but that state

Wherein I was the envied one among men;

وَعَيشٍ ما بِهِ عِندي

وَلا عِندَكَ مِن باسِ

A life in which, to my mind,

And to yours, there exists no harm.

مُعاطاتُكَ مَن أَحبَب

تَ فَوقَ الوَردِ وَالآسِ

It is your exchanging with the one you love,

Seated upon roses and myrtle,

مِنَ الراحِ وَإِقرانُ

كَ مِنهُ الراسُ بِالراسِ

The draught of wine, and the joining

Of your head close to his head,

وَإِنباهُكَهُ في سا

دَةٍ مِن خَيرِ جُلّاسي

And your awakening him among lords

Who are the distinct elite of my company,

يُحاكي خَبَلَ المَأمو

مِ قَد شَطَّ عَنِ الآسي

Resembling the confusion of the brain-wounded

Who has strayed far from the physician,

فَيَحسو ما يُبَقّيهِ

مِنَ الفَضلَةِ في الكاسِ

As he sips up what is left behind

Of the residue within the cup.