غَدوتُ عَلى حالٍ وَرُحتُ إِلى الكاسِ

وَلَم أَرَ فيما تَشتَهي النَفسُ مِن باسِ

I rose in a state and went to the cup,

Yet I saw not in what the soul desires from the cup.

وَمُشتَبِهٍ بِالبَدرِ في أَعيُنِ الوَرى

مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ أَملَحُ الناسِ

And one resembling the full moon in the eyes of people,

Except that he is the most witty of people.

سَقانِيَ خَمراً مِن يَدَيهِ وَريقِهِ

فَأَسكَرَني سُكرَينِ مِن دونِ جُلّاسي

He gave me wine from his hand and saliva,

So it intoxicated me with two intoxications without a cupbearer.

إِذا جادَ لي عِندَ الخَلاصِ بِقُبلَةٍ

وَجَدتُ بِها بَرداً عَلى حَرِّ أَنفاسي

When he is generous to me at the end with a kiss,

I find in it coolness for the heat of my breath.

فَكَم مِن نَديمٍ لي نَديمٍ إِلى الكَرى

وَكَم مِن نَديمٍ قَد سَبَقتُ إِلى الكاسِ

So how many a boon companion do I have, a boon companion to the grave,

And how many a boon companion whom I preceded to the cup.