1. بَدرُ الدُّجى شَمسُ الضُّحَى

    غادَرَ جِسمي شَبَحا

    The full moon of night's darkness, the sun of morning,

    has left my body a wraith.

  2. قَلبي بِهِ قَد كادَ مِن

    طولِ البِلى أَن يُمصَحا

    My heart, because of him, has nearly, from

    long wasting, been worn away.

  3. يَحكي القَضيبَ في الكَثي

    بِ كُلَّما تَرَنَّحا

    He resembles a slender branch upon the sand dune

    whenever he sways.

  4. ساحِرُ طَرفٍ مِنهُ ها

    روتُ اِنثَنى مُفتَضِحا

    An enchanter with his glance, from whom Harut

    turned away, disgraced.

  5. لِحاظُ مُردِ التُّركِ أم

    ضى مِن ظُبا ذَوي اللّحى

    The glances of beardless Turks are keener

    than the sword-edges of bearded men,

  6. حينَ يُديرونَ بِها

    في حَومَةِ الحَربِ الرَحا

    when with them they turn

    the millstone in the thick of battle.

  7. يَفتَرُّ فوهُ عَن سَنا

    البَرقِ إِذا ما لَمَحا

    His mouth parts in a smile, revealing the radiance

    of lightning when it flashes.

  8. سُبحانَ مَن أَودَعَ وَج

    نَتَيهِ تِلكَ المُلَحا

    Glory to Him who placed in his cheeks

    those charms!

  9. كَأَنَّما نَكهَتهُ

    مِسكٌ أَريجٌ نَفَحا

    It is as though his breath

    were fragrant musk wafting forth.

  10. مُعَربِدُ اللّحاظِ مِن

    سُكرِ هَواهُ ما صَحا

    Riotous in his glances, from

    the intoxication of his love he has never sobered.

  11. ما العَيشُ إِلّا قَهوَةٌ

    حَمراءُ تَنفي التَرَحا

    Life is nothing but wine,

    red, banishing sorrow.

  12. وَهيَ التَّي تَجلِبُ مِن

    كلِّ النَواحي الفَرَحا

    And it is what brings, from

    every quarter, joy.

  13. فَكُن لَها مُعتَنِقاً

    مغتَبِقاً مُصطَبِحا

    So embrace it,

    drinking in the evening and the morning.

  14. يا حَبَّذا السُكرُ بِشُر

    بِها إِذا ما طَفَحا

    Ah, how delightful is drunkenness from drinking it

    when it brims over!

  15. يوسي أَذى الخُمارِ بِال

    خَمرِ إِذا ما جُرِحا

    He heals the hurt of the hangover with

    wine whenever he is wounded.

  16. يَلقى بِها النَدمانُ مِن

    نَيلِ المُنى ما اِقتَرَحا

    Through it, the drinking companion finds

    the fulfillment of whatever wishes he desires.

  17. فَهيَ مَحلٌّ قابِلٌ

    لِأَن يَهيجَ البُرَحا

    For it is a fitting vessel

    to stir up burning anguish.

  18. أَعيَت صِفاتُها نَحا

    ريرَ العُقولِ الفُصَحا

    Its qualities have baffled the brilliant

    and eloquent minds.