أَعاذِلَ أَعتَبتُ الإِمامَ وَأَعتَبا

وَأَعرَبتُ عَمّا في الضَميرِ وَأَعرَبا

O blamer, I offered amends to the Imam, and he accepted them,

And I expressed clearly what was in my soul, and he expressed himself.

وَقُلتُ لِساقينا أَجِزها فَلَم يَكُن

لِيَأبى أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ وَأَشرَبا

I said to our cupbearer, "Let it flow," for it was not meant

For the Commander of the Faithful to refuse, and so I drank.

فَجَوَّزَها عَنّي عُقاراً تَرى لَها

إِلى الشَرَفِ الأَعلى شُعاعاً مُطَنَّبا

He allowed the vintage wine for me; you see emanating from it

A ray of light tethered to the highest pinnacle.

إِذا عَبَّ فيها شارِبُ القَومِ خِلتَهُ

يُقَبِّلُ في داجٍ مِنَ اللَيلِ كَوكَب

When a drinker of the company gulps from it, you would imagine him

Kissing a star in the darkness of the night.

تَرى حَيثُما كانَت مِنَ البَيتِ مَشرِقاً

وَما لَم تَكُن فيهِ مِنَ البَيتِ مَغرِبا

You see wherever the wine is in the house as the East,

And whatever part it is not in remains the West.

يَدورُ بِها ساقٍ أَغَنُّ تَرى لَهُ

عَلى مُستَدارِ الأُذنِ صُدغاً مُعَقرَبا

A melodious cupbearer carries it round; you see upon him,

Over the curve of his ear, a lock of hair curled like a scorpion.

سَقاهُم وَمَنّاني بِعَينَيهِ مُنيَةً

فَكانَت إِلى قَلبي أَلَذَّ وَأَطيَبا

He gave them drink, but promised me a desire with his eyes,

And that was to my heart more delicious and more sweet.