يَا حَبَّذَا نَهْرَ القَصِيرِ وَمَغْرِبَا

وَنَسِيمَ هَاتِيكَ المَعالِم والرُّبَا

O how I love the short river and its sunset,

And the breeze of these ruins and meadows.

وَسَقَى زَماناً مَرَّ بي في ظِلِّها

مَا كَانَ أَعْذَبَهُ لَديَّ وأَطْيَبَا

It quenched my thirst long ago in its shade,

Nothing was sweeter to me or more fragrant.

أَيَّامَ أُولَعُ بِالخُدُودِ نَقِيَّةً

وَالقَدِّ أَهْيَفَ والمُقبَّل أَشْنَبَا

Days when I delighted in pure cheeks

And slender waists and kissing mouths.

وأزورُ حاناتِ المدام ولا أَرَى

غَيْرَ الَّذي قَضَتِ الخَلاعَةُ مَذْهَبا

I would visit the taverns and see nothing there

But what wantonness had made its way.

مَا لي وَمَا فَاتَتْ سِنيّ أصابعي

لَمْ أَقْضِ بَاللّذات أوطار الصِّبا

What has passed me by, now my fingers are old?

I did not have my fill of pleasures in my prime.

فَلأَهْجُرنَّ أَخا الوَقارِ وَشأْنِهِ

وَلأَرْكَبنَّ مِنَ الغِوايَةِ مَرْكِبَا

So I will abandon my dignified fellow

And embark on a ship of debauchery.

وَلأَطْلَعَنَّ شُمُوسَ كُلّ مَسرَّةٍ

وَأَكُونَ مَشْرِقَ أُفْقِهَا والمَغْرِبَا

I will witness the suns of every joy

And be the horizon’s sunrise and sunset.

يَا صَاحِبيّ جُعِلْتُمَا بَعْدِي خُذا

قَوْلَ امْرِىءٍ عَرَفَ الأُمورَ وجَرّبا

O my friends, you have outlived me,

Heed the words of one who knew life and tried it.

لَمْ يَخْلُقِ الرَّحْمَنُ شَيْئاً عَابِثاً

فَالخَمْرُ ما خُلِقَتْ لأَنْ تَتَجَنَّبا

The Merciful did not create anything in vain,

Wine was not made for you to avoid it.

وتغنَّيا لا بِالحَطِيمِ وَزَمْزَمٍ

بَلْ بِالحِمَى وَبساكِنِيهِ وزَيْنَبَا

Do not sing solemnly or reservedly

But spiritedly, joyfully, with Zainab and her like.