كأْسٌ تدارُ عَلَى هوى الأحبابِ

شفة تعللُ راشفاً برضاب

A cup passed around among beloved friends

A lip made ruby by the wine it sips

وَلها وَللإبريقِ حين تناجيا

لغوٌ وَقهقهةٌ وَهمس خطاب

The cup and jug converse in whispers, laughters, murmurs

Words games and whispers of sweet fellowship

بعثتْ بأحلام تجددُ صبوتي

وَبذكرياتٍ للشباب عِذاب

It brought dreams that renewed my youth

And memories that tormented my past

فوجدتني ملآن من مرحٍ بها

والعجبُ والخيلاءُ ملءَ إهابي

I found myself filled with joyous mirth

Pride and happiness filled my being

عادتْ بي الذكرى إلى عهدِ الصِبا

فكأنَّها ردَّتْ عليَّ شبابي

The memory brought me back to the days of youth

As though it gave me back my youth anew

وَصبيحةٍ تختال في بردِ الصِبا

والحسن سوداء الفروع كعاب

A morn strutting in the chill of youth

Beauty, branches black as ebony

قالت وَقد رأتِ المشيبَ بلمَّتي

لوددتُ لو أنَّ البياضَ خضابي

It said, seeing the white in my hair

I wish the whiteness was but dyed hair

فالبحرُ في إزباده والغصنُ في

إزهارِه أدعى إلى الإعجاب

For the sea in its ebb and the branch in

Its blooming invite more wonder

بتنا عَلى حكم الكؤوسِ وَطالما

قَدْ عوَّدتنا منَّةَ الوهّاب

We continued by the rule of cups and long

accustomed were we to the Giver's grace

وَهبتْ لبعضٍ بعضنا وَترفَّقتْ

وَتعفَّفتْ إلاّ عن الأَسلاب

We granted each other and were gentle

And restrained but not to excess

كنا نعدُّ كؤوسنا حتى إذا

كثرتْ شربناها بغيرِ حساب

We counted our cups until when

Their number increased, we drank without heed

وَبدا لنا أن الشفاهَ وَرشفَها

أَروى عَلى ظمإِ من الأكواب

It seemed to us the lips and the sipping

Were more gratifying than other vessels

ما زال من عَرَقِ العناقِ وَطيبه

بعد التفرُّقِ عقبةٌ بثيابي

The savor of embraces and their perfume

Lingered after parting on my clothes