1. يُنادي مَنِ الساري إِلَيَّ وَمُزعِجي

    فَقُلتُ جَوادٌ ذو مَحَلٍّ وَسُؤدَدِ

    He calls out, ‘Who comes to me by night and disturbs me?’

    I said, ‘A generous man of rank and nobility,

  2. حُسامٌ عَلى الأَعداءِ ماضٍ غِرارُهُ

    وَمَلكٌ لَدى ذي خُلَّةِ المُتَوَدِّدِ

    A sword whose edge is keen against enemies,

    And an angel to an affectionate friend.

  3. أَتَيتُكَ أَطوي الأَرضِ شَرقاً وَمَغرباً

    عَلى ضامِرِ الأَحشاءِ كَالبَرقِ أَجرَدِ

    I came to you, folding up the earth, east and west,

    On a lean-bellied, sleek steed like lightning.’

  4. فَقالَ وَما تَبغي فَقُلتُ مُدامَةٌ

    تُشَتِّتُ شَملَ الهَمِّ عَن كُلِّ مُكمَدِ

    He said, ‘And what do you seek?’ I said, ‘Wine

    That scatters gathered sorrow from every grief-stricken soul.’

  5. فَقالَ نَعَم عِندي سُلافَةُ كَرمَةٍ

    كَوَجنَةِ مَعشوقِ الشَمائِلِ أَغيَدِ

    He said, ‘Yes, I have a vine’s choicest wine,

    Like the cheek of one graceful and beloved for his ways.’

  6. وَأَبرَزَها عَذراءَ أَحلى مِنَ المَنى

    كَشَمسِ الضُحى أَو كَاللَظى المُتَوَقِّدِ

    And he brought it forth, a virgin sweeter than desire,

    Like the midmorning sun, or a blazing flame.

  7. إِذا مُزِجَت أَبدَت حَباباً كَأَنَّهُ

    مِنَ الدَرِّ طَوقٌ في غِلالَةِ عَسجَدِ

    When mixed, it revealed bubbles that seemed

    A necklace of pearls within a sheer robe of gold.

  8. قَسِرتُ بِها وَهيَ الحَياةُ لِرَوضَةٍ

    تَروحُ عَلَيها الغادِياتِ وَتَغتَدي

    [I went] with it—life itself—to a garden,

    Over which the morning rain clouds pass at dusk and dawn.

  9. كَأَنَّ البَهارَ الغَضَّ فيها مَداهِنٌ

    مِنَ المتِبرِ صيغَت في غُصونِ زَبَرجَدِ

    As though its tender yellow oxeye blooms were ointment bowls

    Fashioned from gold amid boughs of emerald.

  10. كَأَنَّ اِنتِثارَ القَطرِ وَالزَهرُ زاهِرٌ

    عَلى الوَردِ دَمعٌ فَوقَ خَدٍّ مُوَرِّدِ

    As though the scattered raindrops, while the flowers bloom,

    Upon the roses were tears upon a rosy cheek.

  11. وَتُزهى بِمَنثورٍ يَلوحُ كَجَوهَرٍ

    عَلى نَمَطٍ بَينَ الرِياضِ مُبَدَّدِ

    And it glories in stock-flowers gleaming like jewels

    Scattered upon a carpet amid the gardens.

  12. وَأَطيارُها تُغنى النَديمَ إِذا شَدَت

    عَلى الأَيكِ عَن شَدوِ الغَريضِ وَمَعبَدِ

    And its birds, when they sing, satisfy the drinking companion

    Among the trees, in place of al-Gharid’s and Ma’bad’s singing.

  13. وَنَرجِسُها بَينَ الشِقائِقِ شاخِصٌ

    يُرَدِّدُ لَحظَ المُستَهامِ المُسَهَّدِ

    And its narcissus stares among the anemones,

    Repeating the gaze of the lovesick, sleepless one.

  14. فَما زِلتُ بِالإِبريقِ أَقبِضُ روحَها

    مِنَ الدَنِّ ما بَينَ الرُبى بِتَمَرُّدِ

    So I kept capturing its spirit with the ewer

    From the wine jar, amid the hills, in defiance,

  15. وَأَشرَبُها حَتّى اِنثَنَيتُ مُجَدَّلاً

    صَريعاً عَلى شَدوِ الحَمامِ المُغَرِّدِ

    And drinking it until I slumped back, laid low,

    Prostrate, to the song of the warbling doves.

  16. أَنا ذاكَ أُعطي اللَهوَ ما عِشتُ مِقوَدي

    وَأَعدَلُ عَن تَفنيدِ كُلِّ مُفَنِّدِ

    I am that man: while I live, I give pleasure my reins,

    And turn aside from every faultfinder’s censure.