أَخَذَت مِن شَبابِيَ الأَيّامُ

وَتَوَفّى الصِبا عَلَيهِ السَلامُ

The days have taken my youth away,

And youth has bid farewell and passed.

وَاِرعَوى باطِلي وَبَرَّ حَديثُ ال

نَفسِ مِنّي وَعَفَّتِ الأَحلامُ

My rambling thoughts have ceased,

And fantasies no longer last.

وَنَهاني الإِمامُ عَن سَفَهِ الكَأ

سِ فَرُدَّت عَلى السُقاةِ المُدامُ

The wise imam has warned me against

The folly of drunkenness,

عِفتُها مُكرَهاً وَلَذّاتِ عَيشٍ

قامَ بَيني وَبَينَهُنَّ الإِمامُ

So to the drinkers I've turned my back

And he's stood firm between them and me.

وَلَقَد حَثَّ بِالمُدامَةِكَفَّي

غُصنُ بانٍ عَلَيهِ بَدرٌ تَمامُ

Though branches of wild plum tempt me to drink

With their blossoms, full and bright,

عَجَباً يَنهَبُ العُيونَ وَيَشتا

قُ إِلَيهِ التَقبيلُ وَالإِلتِزامُ

A wonder that eyes they rob and lips

Seek kissing them and holding them tight.

وَنَداميَّ في شَبابٍ وَحُسنٍ

أَتلَفَت ما لَهُم نُفوسٌ كِرامُ

And yet I regret that in my youth and beauty

I've wasted what souls so noble prize

بَينَ أَقداحِهِم حَديثٌ قَصيرٌ

هُوَ سِحرٌ وَما سِواهُ كَلامُ

Between their cups, brief talk, no more

Than magic, and all else but lies.

وَغِناءٌ يَستَعجِلُ الراحَ غَضٌّ

وَكَما ناحَ في الغُصونِ الحَمامُ

A song that hastens the soul's relief

But makes the branches sigh like a dove.

وَكَأَنَّ السُقاةَ بَينَ النَدامى

أَلِفاتٌ عَلى السُطورِ قِيامُ

It's as though the drinkers and the remorseful

Were boon companions joined in love.