حَنَّ إِلى كَأسِهِ الخَليعُ

لَمّا بَدا النّورُ وَالرَّبيعُ

The debauchee yearned for his cup

When the light and spring appeared

وَاِكتَسَتِ الأَرضُ ثَوبَ حُسنٍ

مِن سُندُسٍ وَشيُهُ بَديعُ

And the earth was clothed in a garment of beauty

Of silk, its splendor sublime

كَأَنَّ أَزهارَها نُجومٌ

لَها بِأُفقِ الرُبى طُلوعُ

As though its flowers were stars

Rising on the horizon of the meadows

كَأَنَّما النَّهرُ مَشرَفِيٌّ

يَروقُ طَوراً وَقَد يَروعُ

As though the river were a reveller

Delighting now, alarming anon

كَأَنَّ حَصباءهُ جُمانٌ

وَالماءَ مِن رِقَّة دُموعُ

As though its pebbles were pearls

And its water, from gentleness, tears

فَحُثَّها بِالدِّنانِ حَثّاً

إِن عُدِمَ الكاسُ وَالقَطيعُ

So spur it with the brambles, spur

If absent the cup and the flock

يُديرُها شادِنٌ رَخيمٌ

يَصبُو إِلى حُسنِهِ الجَميعُ

A generous host circulates it

All inclining towards his beauty

إِذا أَتى بِالصُّدودِ ذَنباً

فَالحُسنُ في وَجهِهِ شَفيعُ

If he comes to the trysts late

Then beauty on his face will intercede

وَقُل لِمَن لامَ في التَّصابِي

نادَيتَ لَو أَنَّني سَمِيعُ

And say to him who blamed drunkenness

"Would that you had called when I could hear!"