كَم لِلصَبابَةِ وَالصِبا مِن مَنزِلِ

ما بَينَ كَلواذي إلى قَطرَبُّلِ

How many a station between Kelothi and Katrabul

Has the morning cloud watered from its rain clouds,

جادَتهُ مِن ديمِ المُدامِ سَحائِب

أَغنَتهُ عَن صَوبِ الحَيا المُتَهَلِّلِ

Dispensing with the direction of easy life and its shimmering mirage.

When the lightning of the rain cloud flashed,

غَيثٌ إِذا ما الراحُ أَومَضَ بَرقُهُ

فَرُعودهُ حَثَّ الثَقيلِ الأَوَّلِ

Its thunder stirred the heavy-laden clouds,

Its direction softened and its struggle rejuvenated,

لَطفت مَواقِعُ صَوبهُ فَسجالهُ

تَهمى عَلى كَربِ النُفوسِ فَتَنجَلي

Yearning to relieve the distress of souls.

I sipped the wine-cup whose bending almost made me fall

راضَعتُ فيهِ الكَأسَ أَهيَفَ يَنثَني

نَحوي بِجيدِ رَشاً وَعَينَي مُغزِلِ

Towards the gazelle with the soft neck and large black eyes.

Then came the dawn when sunlight embroidered its garment

فَأَتى وَقَد نَقَشَ الشُعاعُ ثِيابَهُ

بِمُمَزَّجٍ مِن نَسجِها وَمُثقَلِ

With interwoven threads of saffron dye.

The wild plums dressed it with a dye. Oh, would that

وَكَسا البَنانُ بِها خضاباً يا لَهُ

لَو أَنَّهُ مِن وَقتِهِ لَم يَنصُلِ

It had never been separated from its time!

The kindler ignited its flints, so it burst forth

قَدَح البزال زَنادُها مِن دَنِّها

فَتَهافَتَت مِثلَ الشَرابِ المُرسَلِ

Like unbound wine, and the water could not quench it.

I thought the goblet was a glowing coal.

وَطَغَت لِعَجزِ الماءِ عَن إِطفائِها

حَتّى ظَنَنتُ الكَأسَ جَذوَةَ مُصطَلي

So I came to a halt at a watering place and drank the sweetest drink,

I drank from the most delicious spring, and in neither intoxication nor sobriety

فَوَرَدتُ أَروي مَورِدٍ وَشَرِبتُ أَح

لى مَشرَبٍ وَنَهَلتُ أَعذَبَ مَنهَلِ

Did disgrace make me withdraw or honor make me refuse.

وَنَزَعتُ لا في السُكرِ خُنتُ تَصَوُّني

بِخَناً وَلا في الصَحوِ شِنتُ تَجمَلى