نَبَّهتُ نُدماني فَهَبّا

تَرَباً إِلى كاسي وَلَبّى

I roused my boon companion, and he sprang up;

Eager for my cup, he answered its call.

نَشوانَ يَحكي مَيلُهُ

غُصناً بِأَيدي الريحِ رَطبا

Drunk, in his swaying he mimicked

a fresh bough in the hands of the wind.

ما زالَ يَصرَعُهُ الكَرى

وَأَذُبُّ النَومَ عَنهُ ذَبّا

Drowsiness kept casting him down,

and I beat sleep back from him—beat it away.

وَسَقَيتُهُ كَأساً عَلى

مَرَضِ الخُمارِ فَما تَأَبّى

I gave him a cup to drink despite

the sickness of his hangover; he did not refuse.

وَاللَيلُ مُسوَدُّ الذُرى

وَالصُبحُ زادَ صِباً وَشَبّا

Night’s heights were blackened,

while dawn gained youth and blazed into life.