قَد حَثَّني بِالكَأسِ أَو في فَجرِهِ

ساقٍ عَلامَةُ دينِهِ في خَصرِه

He urged me with a cup, at dawn or in its first light,

A cross, the sign of his faith, tied at his waist,

وَكَأَنَّ حُمرَةَ خَدِّهِ في لَونِها

وَكَأَنَّ طَيبَ رِياحِها مِن نَشرِه

As if the redness of his cheek matched its color,

And as if the scent of his breath came from its aroma.

حَتّى إِذا صَبَّ المِزاجَ تَبَسَّمَت

عَن ثِغرِها فَحَسِبتُها عَن ثَغرِه

When he poured the wine, he smiled,

Baring teeth behind lips - I thought them one and the same.

يا لَيلَةً شَغَلَ الرُقادُ غَيورَها

عَن عاشِقٍ في الحُبِّ هَتكَةُ سَترِه

O night that kept the jealous wakeful

From a lover whose modesty was rent in love!

إِن لَم تَعودي لِلمُتَيَّمِ مَرَّةً

أُخرى فَإِنَّكَ غَلطَةٌ مِن دَهرِه

If you do not return to the lovelorn another time,

You have erred against him in his fate.

ما زالَ يُنجِزُ لي مَواعِدَ عَينِهِ

فَمُهُ وَأَحسَبُ ريقَهُ مِن خَمرِه

His eyes still keep their promises to me,

And I think his spittle comes from wine.

وَإِذا تَحَرَّكَ ذُعرُهُ في قَلبِهِ

قَطَعَ الشَفاءَ عَلى ضَنىً لَم يُبرِه

When panic stirred in his heart,

It cut off consolation from one affliction did not soothe.