شَرِبنا فَمُتنا ميتَةً جاهِلِيَّةً

مَضى أَهلُها لَم يَعرِفوا ما مُحَمَّدُ

We drank and died an ignorant death

Its people passed away not knowing who Muhammad was

ثَلاثَةَ أَيّامٍ فَلَمّا تَنَبَّهَت

حُشاشاتُ أَنفاسٍ أَتَتنا تَرَدَّدُ

For three days, until we came to our senses

The breaths of life visited us, wandering

حَيَينا حَياةً لَم تَكُن مِن قِيامَةٍ

عَلَينا وَلا حَشرٍ لَنا بِهِ مَوعِدُ

We came alive with a life that was no resurrection

Neither for us nor for an appointed time of gathering

حَياةَ مِراضٍ حَولَهُم بَعدَما صَحَوا

مِنَ الناسِ شَتّى عاذِلونَ وَعُوَّدُ

An ailing life for them after they woke

Up from mankind, blaming and threatening

وَقُلنا لِساقينا عَلَيكَ فَعُد بِنا

إِلى مِثلِها بِالأَمسِ فَالعَودُ أَحمَدُ

And we said to our cupbearer, come back to us

With the likes of it as yesterday—returning is best

فَجاءَ بِها كَأَنَّما في إِنائِهِ

بِها الكَوكَبُ المِرّيخُ تَصفو وَتُزبِدُ

So he brought it as if in his cup

Mars, shining and foaming

نَفوحٍ بِماءٍ يُشبِهُ الطيبَ طيبُهُ

إِذا ما تَعاطَت كَأسَها مِن يَدٍ يَدُ

Exhaling a scent, the scent of its perfume like perfume

When held in a hand by a hand

تُميتُ وَتُحيِي بَعدَ موتٍ وَمَوتُها

لَذيذٌ وَمَحياها أَلَذُّ وَأَمجَدُ

It kills and gives life after death and its death

Is pleasurable and its giving of life is sweeter and more glorious