وَسَيّارَةٍ ضَلَّت عَنِ القَصدِ بَعدَما

تُرادِفُهُم جُنحٌ مِنَ اللَيلِ مُظلِمُ

A car went astray after

Wings of darkness enshrouded them

فَأَصغوا إِلى صَوتٍ وَنَحنَ عِصابَةٌ

وَفينا فَتىً مِن سُكرِهِ يَتَرَنَّمُ

So listen to a voice while we are a gang

With a lad among us drunk and humming

أَضاءَت لَهُم مِنّا عَلى النَأيِ قَهوَةٌ

كَأَنَّ سَناها ضَوءُ نارٍ تَضَرَّمُ

A coffee shone on us from afar

As if its brightness is that of glowing embers

إِذا ما حَسوناها أَضاءوا بِظُلمَةٍ

وَإِن قُرِعَت بِالمَزجِ ساروا وَعَمَّموا

When we felt it, they lit up the darkness

And if it was stirred, they went on and wore their headcloth

أَقولُ لِرَكبٍ ضَمَّتِ الكَأسُ شَملَهُم

وَداعي صَباباتِ الهَوى يَتَرَنَّمُ

I say to a group brought together by the cup

And a roisterer of passions humming

خُذوا بِنَصيبٍ مِن نَعيمٍ وَلَذَّةٍ

فَكُلٌّ وَإِن طالَ المَدى يَتَصَرَّمُ

Take a share of bliss and pleasure

For all, however long the course, will crumble

وَلا تُرجِ أَيّامَ السُرورِ إِلى غَدٍ

فَرُبَّ غَدٍ يَأتي بِما لَيسَ تَعلَمُ

And do not postpone the days of joy to tomorrow

For many a tomorrow comes with what you know not

لَقَد كادَتِ الدُنيا تَقولُ لِاِبنِها

خُذوا لَذَّتي لَو أَنَّها تَتَكَلَّمُ

The world nearly said to her son

Take my pleasures if only she could speak

أَلا إِن أَهنى العيشِ ما سَمَحَت بِهِ

صُروفُ اللَيالي وَالحَوادِثُ نُوَّمُ

Verily, the best living is what

The turns of nights and events permit