زارَ بِذَيلِ الظَّلامِ مُنتَقِبا

ريمٌ إِذا سُمتُهُ الرِّضى غَضِبا

He came in the tail of darkness cloaked,

A friend when pleased is anger provoked,

يُعرِضُ عَنّي وَالكأسُ في يَدِهِ

وَهوَ بِأَنوارِها قَدِ اِختَضَبا

He turns from me while the cup's in his hand,

And with its lights he's brightly soiled.

يا ساقِيَ الخَمرِ إِنَّ ريقَكَ لي

صَهباءُ تُكسىَ مِن ثَغرِكَ الحَبَبا

O pourer of wine, your saliva to me,

Is pure honey from your lovely lips poured,

يَفديكَ نَفسي وَالنَّاسُ غَيرَ أَبي

فَإِنَّني أَشرَفُ الأَنامِ أَبا

I'd ransom you with my soul, though folk not my sire,

For I'm the noblest of people, O lord.

هَلُمَّ نَشرَبْ راحاً مُعَتَّقَةً

صَفَتْ وَرَقَّتْ وَعُمِّرَتْ حُقُبا

Come let's drink vintage matured,

Refined, clarified, and aged for years,

إِن راضَها الماءُ أَذعَنَتْ وَجَنَتْ

مِنها النُّفوسُ السُّرورَ وَالطَّرَبا

If pleased by water, ecstasy she grants,

Delighting souls with joy and cheer.

ذاكَ لُجَينٌ وَهَذِهِ ذَهَبٌ

يَنتَهِبانِ اللُّجَينَ وَالذَّهَبا

That is pure silver, and this is gold,

Plundering silver and gold galore,

بِها طَوَيتُ الشَّبابَ في جِدَةٍ

أَرضَعُ مِن دَرِّها الَّذي نَضَبا

With it my youth in robes I wrapped,

Suckling its house until ran no more.

أَيّامَ كانَ الحِمى لَنا وَطَناً

لا يَرهَبُ الجارُ عِندَهُ النُّوَبا

Days when encampment was home to us,

No neighbor there fearing the nomad's night raid,

وَنَحنُ في حُلَّةِ النَّعيمِ بِهِ

نَسحَبُ ذَيلَ الثَّراءِ ما اِنسَحَبا

And we in the garb of bliss therein,

Dragging the tail of wealth ne'er dragged.