1. ألاَ سَقِّني بالمَلا الصَّحْصَحِ

    ونجمُ دجى الليل لم يَجْنَحِ

    Come, pour me a drink on the bare, level plain,

    while the star of dark night has not yet begun to set;

  2. ببِكرٍ من الرَّاح لم تُفْتَرَعْ

    وعانِسةِ السنّ لم تُنْكَحِ

    with virgin wine, never deflowered,

    and a maiden grown old, never wed.

  3. لها خَفَر البكر لكنّها

    تزيد على خُدَع القُرَّح

    She has a virgin's modesty, yet she

    outdoes the wiles of seasoned men.

  4. فقومي فقد شاب رأسُ الدُّجى

    بنور سَنا فجرهِ المُصْبح

    So rise, for the head of darkness has turned gray

    with the radiant light of its breaking dawn.

  5. فَحَيِّ النديم على كأسه

    بأخضرَ أصفرَ مُستْملَح

    Then greet the drinking companion over his cup

    with something charming, green and yellow.

  6. رأى الشمس فانفتحت عينُه

    ولولا سَنا الشمس لم تُفْتَح

    It saw the sun, and its eye opened;

    and without the sun's radiance, it would not have opened.

  7. إذا ركَد الليلُ لم يَسْتَبِن

    وإن طَلع الصّبح لم يَبْرح

    When night settles, it cannot be seen;

    yet when dawn rises, it does not depart.

  8. قتيلُ الحوادث مَنْ خافها

    فلا تَخْش حادثة تَنْجُح

    He who fears calamities is slain by them;

    so fear no calamity, and you will succeed.

  9. مع العسر يسرٌ يُجَلِّى الدجى

    ألَمْ تتذكّر ألَمْ نَشْرَح

    With hardship comes ease that dispels the darkness—

    do you not recall 'Have We not opened'?