غَصنٌ عَلى دِعصِ نَقاً مُنهالِ

غَصنٌ عَلى دِعصِ نَقاً مُنهالِ

سعَى بكأسٍ مثلِ لمَعِ الآلِ

سعَى بكأسٍ مثلِ لمَعِ الآلِ

A branch atop a crumbling mound of fine sand,

A branch leaning on a sandy dune

Went about with a cup like the gleam of a mirage,

Holding a chalice like the gleam of tools

وفاتناتِ الطَّرفِ والدَّلالِ

وفاتناتِ الطَّرفِ والدَّلالِ

هيفِ الخصورِ رُجّحِ الأكفالِ

هيفِ الخصورِ رُجّحِ الأكفالِ

And women bewitching in gaze and coquetry,

With flirtatious glances and coquetry

Slender of waist, heavy of haunch,

Swaying hips and swinging braids

يأخُذنَ من طرائفِ الارمال

يأخُذنَ من طرائفِ الارمال

ومُحكمِ الخِفافِ والثّقالِ

ومُحكمِ الخِفافِ والثّقالِ

They draw on choice ramal rhythms,

Taking from the flowers of the sand dunes

And finely wrought light and heavy rhythms.

And firmly stitched shoes and slippers

تجرِي مع الناس بلا انفصالِ

تجرِي مع الناس بلا انفصالِ

مثلَ اختلاطِ الخمرِ بالزُّلالِ

مثلَ اختلاطِ الخمرِ بالزُّلالِ

They flow among people, inseparably,

Mingling with the people without separation

Like wine mingling with clear water.

Like the mixing of wine and fresh water

تدعو الى الصَّبوةِ كلَّ سالِ

تدعو الى الصَّبوةِ كلَّ سالِ

تَصرَعُ كلَّ فاتكٍ بَطَّالِ

تَصرَعُ كلَّ فاتكٍ بَطَّالِ

They call everyone who has forgotten love to passion,

Calling every complainer to sobriety

They fell every fierce, valiant warrior,

Vanquishing every idle rogue

بين حَرامِ اللَّهوِ والحلال

بين حَرامِ اللَّهوِ والحلال

أَكرمُ من مَصارعِ الأبطالِ

أَكرمُ من مَصارعِ الأبطالِ

Between forbidden and lawful pleasure,

Between forbidden worldly pleasures and the lawful

Nobler than the falls of heroes.

Nobler than the battlegrounds of champions