يا صاحِبَيَّ عَصَيتُ مُصطَبِحا

وَغَدَوتُ لِلَّذاتِ مُطَّرِحا

O my two companions, I have disobeyed the one summoning to the morning draught,

And I have become one who casts worldly pleasures aside.

فَتَزَوَّدا مِنّي مُحادَثَةً

حَذَرَ العَصا لَم يُبقِ لي مَرَحا

So gather from me your fill of conversation,

For dread of the rod has left me no room for mirth.

إِنَّ الإِمامَ لَهُ عَلَيَّ يَدٌ

فَتَرَقَّبا بِمُسَهَّدٍ صُبُحا

Verily, the Imam holds a favoring hand over me,

So watch for the dawn alongside one sleepless with care.

لا تَجمَعا بي شَملَ ذي طَرَبٍ

قَد با كَرَ الإِبريقَ وَالقَدَحا

Do not group me in the gathering of the reveler,

Who hastened early to the wine-pitcher and the cup.

فَلَئِن وُقِرتُ عَلى مَلامَتِهِ

لَقَدِ اِبتَذَلتُ اللَهوَ ما صَلُحا

For even if I have become dignified in bearing his reproach,

I had indeed squandered myself in amusement while it suited.

وَوَصَلتُ أَسبابي بِمُختَلَقٍ

رَخصِ البَنانِ مُخَضَّبٍ بِلِحا

And I once joined my ties with a shapely beauty,

Soft of fingertips, dyed with the bark of the walnut tree,

يُزني العُيونَ بِحُسنِ مُقلَتِهِ

فَيَروحُ مَنكوحاً وَما نَكَحا

Who seduces eyes into sin with the beauty of his gaze,

Who departs as the object of desire, though he desired none.

يَحثو اللُهى لَكَ مِن مَحاسِنِهِ

فَإِذا سَنَحتَ لِوَصلِهِ بَرَحا

He scatters the gifts of his charms before you,

But if you seize the chance for union, he turns away.

وَمُدامَةٍ سَجَدَ المُلوكُ لَها

باكَرتُها وَالديكُ قَد صَدَحا

And many a vintage before which kings have bowed,

I sought it out early, just as the rooster crowed.

صِرفٍ إِذا اِستَنبَطتَ سَورَتَها

أَدَّت إِلى مَعقولِكَ الفَرَحا

Pure unmixed wine—when you draw out its potency,

It delivers sheer joy to your very intellect.

وَكَأَنَّ فيها مِن جَنادِبِها

فَرَساً إِذا سَكَّنتَهُ رَمَحا

As though within it, amidst its dancing bubbles,

There were a steed that kicks the more you try to soothe it.

وَتَنوفَةٍ يَجري السَرابُ بِها

شارَفتَها وَالظِلُّ قَد مَصَحا

And many a barren wasteland where the mirage flows,

I have traversed when the shadow had all but vanished,

بِبُوَيزِلٍ تَزدادُ جُرأَتُهُ

أَضَماً إِذا ما ليتُهُ رَشَحا

Riding a young camel whose boldness only grows,

Champing at the bit as sweat glistens upon his neck.

وَلَقَد ذُعَرتُ الوَحشَ يَحمِلُني

مُتَقارِبُ التَقريبِ قَد قَرِحا

And I have startled the wild game, carried aloft,

By a steed of rapid, chopping stride, a veteran of the chase,

عَتَدٌ يَطيرُ إِذا هَتَفتَ بِهِ

فَإِذا رَضيتُ بِعَفوِهِ سَبَحا

A sturdy mount that takes flight if you but call to it,

And when I am content with his gentle pace, he glides.

وَهَبَ الصَريحُ لَهُ سَنابِكَهُ

وَأَعارَهُ التَحجيلَ وَالقَرَحا

Noble lineage has gifted him his sturdy hooves,

And adorned him with white anklets and a blaze upon his brow.

يُثنى العَجاجُ عَلى مَفارِقِهِ

بِمُقَعَّبِ لَم يَعدُ أَن وَقُحا

The dust of the track is folded back upon his mane,

Raised by a cupped hoof that has never ceased to be hard.

وَلَقَد حَزِنتُ فَلَم أَمُت حَزَناً

وَلَقَد فَرِحتُ فَلَم أَمُت فَرَحا

I have known sorrow, yet I did not die of grief,

And I have known joy, yet I did not die of delight.