مَرَّت كَعُمرِ الوَردِ بَينا أَجتَلي

اِصباحَها إِذ آذَنَت بِرَواحِ

The rose's life did pass by while I sat reveling,

when its morn proclaimed its soul's leave-taking.

لَم أَقضِ مِن حَقِّ المُدامِ وَلَم أَقُم

في الشارِبينَ بِواجِبِ الأَقداحِ

Neither did I fulfill the wine-bearer's due right,

nor in drinking did I rise to meet the challenge of the cups.

وَالزَهرُ يَحتَثُّ الكُؤوسَ بِلَحظِهِ

وَيَشوبُها بِأَريجِهِ الفَيّاحِ

The blossoms hasten on the goblets with a glance,

and scent them with their fragrant exhalation.

أَخشى عَواقِبَها وَأَغبِطُ شَربَها

وَأُجيدُ مِدحَتَها مَعَ المُدّاحِ

I fear its consequence, yet envy its drinking,

and excellently praise it along with the eulogizer.

وَأَميلُ مِن طَرَبٍ إِذا مالَت بِهِم

فَاِعجَب لِنَشوانِ الجَوانِحِ صاحي

I incline from rapture whenever it tilts with them—

so strange is the ecstasy of impassioned breasts!

أَستَغفِرُ اللَهَ العَظيمَ فَإِنَّني

أَفسَدتُ في ذاكَ النَهارِ صَلاحي

I ask Allah, the Almighty, to forgive me,

for I did corrupt my rectitude that day.