ألا عاطني الخمرَ إنَّ الزمانَ

على مِيمِها وعلى رائِها

Oh give me wine, for time itself

In its bitterness and in its sweetness too, belongs to wine.

وانعشْ بها زهراتِ السرور

فقد نبتتْ قبلُ من مائها

With it revive the flowers of joy,

For from its essence they grew.

لعرشِ السماءِ ارتقتْ أمُها

وفي الأرضِ أعراشُ آبائها

Its mother rose to the throne of the sky,

And its fathers had thrones on earth.

فلبستْ لغيرِ ملوكِ الكلام

وبنت الملوك لأكفانها

It wore, for the sake of kings of speech,

What kings' daughters wear at their end.

ولا غروَ إن زادَ أعداؤها

فقدْرُ النفوسِ بأعدائها

No wonder that its enemies increased,

For souls are known by their enemies.

أليسَ من الطلمِ للخمرِ أنْ

تُذَمَّ بأشهرِ أسمائِها

Is it not the height of injustice that

Wine should be blamed for its very names?