1. سَلامٌ كَما هَبَّ النَسيمُ عَلى الوَردِ

    وَخاضَت جُفونَ اللَيلِ إِغفاءَةُ الفَجرِ

    A greeting, as the breeze blew over the roses,

    And dawn’s brief slumber waded through the eyelids of night,

  2. وَهَزَّ هُبوبُ الريح عِطفَ أَراكَةٍ

    فَمالَت كَما مالَ النَزيفُ مَع السكرِ

    And the blowing wind shook an arak tree’s flank,

    So it swayed as a drunken man sways in intoxication,

  3. عَلى مَن إِذا وَدّعتُهُ أَودَع الحَشى

    لَهيباً تَلَظّى في الجَوانِحِ وَالصَدرِ

    To him who, when I bade him farewell, left in my heart

    A flame that blazed within my ribs and breast;

  4. وَمَن لَم يَزَل نَشوانَ مِن خَمرَةِ الصِبا

    كَما لَم أَزَل نَشوان مِن خَمرَةِ الذُكرِ

    And to him who has never ceased to be drunk on the wine of youth,

    As I have never ceased to be drunk on the wine of remembrance.

  5. عَسى اللَهُ أَن يُدني التزاوُرَ بَينَنا

    فَأُنقَلَ مِن عُسرِ الفِراقِ إِلى يُسرِ

    May God bring our mutual visits nearer,

    So I may be carried from the hardship of parting into ease.