وَمُختَضِبٍ بِحَثّي لِلعُقارِ

وَمُختَضِبٍ بِحَثّي لِلعُقارِ

سَقَتني كَفُّهُ وَالنِجمُ سارِ

سَقَتني كَفُّهُ وَالنِجمُ سارِ

Many a henna-dyed youth, at my urging for wine—

his palm gave me drink as the star traveled on.

وَفي يُمناهُ إِبريقٌ وَماءٌ

وَفي يُمناهُ إِبريقٌ وَماءٌ

وَكَأسُ الخَمرِ في يَدِهِ اليَسارِ

وَكَأسُ الخَمرِ في يَدِهِ اليَسارِ

In his right hand, a pitcher and water;

and in his left hand, the cup of wine.

فَخِلتُ يَمينَهُ لَمّا أَراقَت

فَخِلتُ يَمينَهُ لَمّا أَراقَت

مِزاجَ الكَأسِ مَمضَغَةً لِضارِ

مِزاجَ الكَأسِ مَمضَغَةً لِضارِ

I fancied his right hand, as it poured

the cup’s diluting water, a morsel for a ravenous beast.