1. كَم عَكَفنا عَلى المُدامَةِ يَوماً

    إِذ دَعانا إِلى المَسَرَّةِ داعِ

    How many a day we devoted ourselves to wine,

    when a caller summoned us to joy;

  2. وَخَلونا بِها بِإِخوانِ صِدقٍ

    رُؤَساءِ الحَديثِ وَالاِستِماعِ

    and we withdrew with it, with true companions,

    masters of conversation and listening.

  3. وَاِلتَزَمنا شُروطَها وَاِتَّبَعنا

    أَدَبَ الإِفتِراقِ وَالإِجتِماعِ

    And we observed its rules and followed

    the etiquette of parting and gathering.

  4. فَاِجتَمَعنا لَها عَلى غَيرِ وَعدٍ

    وَاِفتِرَقنا عَنها بِغَيرِ وَداعِ

    So we gathered for it without prior arrangement,

    and parted from it without farewell.