قالوا اِغتَسِل أَتَتِ الظُه

رُ وَالكُؤوسُ تَدورُ

They said: "Perform your ablutions, for noon has arrived,"

while the wine cups were circling round.

فَقُلتُ سَوفَ فَقالوا

تَركُ الصَلاةِ كَبيرُ

I replied: "Presently," but they insisted:

"Abandoning prayer is a grievous sin!"

فَقُلتُ أَكبَرُ مِنهُ

ظَبيٌ يَنالُ غَريرُ

So I said: "A matter even greater than that

is winning the heart of an unsuspecting gazelle."

إِن قُمتُ لَم يَنتَظِرني

وَغابَ عَنّي السُرورُ

"If I rise to pray, he will not wait for me,

and all delight will vanish from my sight."

وَما لِمِثلي صَلاةٌ

لِأَنَّ فِسقي شَهيرُ

"Besides, prayer is not meant for one like me,

for my debauchery is widely renowned."

فَأَقصِروا عَن مَلامي

فَإِنَّني مَعذورُ

"So refrain from casting blame upon me,

for I am truly to be excused."

إِنَّ الجَنابَةَ مِمَّن

جَنُبتُ مِنهُ طَهورُ

"Indeed, the ritual impurity acquired from the one

through whom I became impure, is itself a purification."