1. أَطلِع الكاسَ كوكبا في اِزدِهاءِ

    وَأَدِرها في هالَةَ النُدماءِ

    Raise the cup as a star in splendor,

    and circulate it within the halo of drinking companions.

  2. اسقِنيها حتّى ترانيَ لا أَف

    هَم نصحا يَمَلُّه إِصغائي

    Give it to me to drink until you see me no longer understanding

    advice that my listening grows weary of.

  3. عاطِنيها صِرفا ولا تُطفىء النّو

    ر الذي زان حُسنَها بِالماء

    Pass it to me unmixed, and do not extinguish

    with water the light that graced its beauty.

  4. وَأَدِرها خدّا وَحيِّ النَدامى

    بِعذارِ الريحانِ وَاِغنَم ثنائي

    Pass it round as a cheek, and greet the drinking companions

    with the cheek-down of basil, and earn my praise.

  5. مجلسٌ فيه ماجلا صَدَأَ السَم

    عِ وَقَرّت به عيونُ الرائي

    A gathering with what has scoured the rust from hearing

    and given delight to the beholder's eyes:

  6. من مُغَنّ يغزو الهمومَ بِأَوتا

    رٍ فيَحوى أَعنَّةَ الأَهواءِ

    a singer who assails cares with strings

    and so holds the reins of passions;

  7. وَغزالٍ أَحلى من الأَمنِ يَسعى

    بِكئوسِ الغرام وَالصَهباء

    and a gazelle, sweeter than safety, moves about

    with cups of love and tawny wine.

  8. مُذ رَأت خدَّه المُدامُ علاها

    عرقٌ من حبابِها وَالصهباء

    Since the wine saw his cheek, it was covered

    with the sweat of its bubbles. By the tawny wine,

  9. هل رَأَيتَ الوردَ النَضير على الغُص

    نِ تَحَلّى بِلُؤلُؤ الأَنداءِ

    have you seen the fresh rose upon the bough

    adorned with pearls of dew?

  10. هو بَينَ الملاح يشبه إِسما

    عيل بين الأَقيال وَالعظماء

    He among beauties is like Ismail

    among kings and the great.

  11. أَيُّ أنس وافى لِمصرَ وقد وا

    فى لها فَخرُها وَأيُّ صفاء

    What joy has come to Egypt, now that

    her pride has come to her—and what serenity!

  12. عادَ وَالسَعدُ يقتَفيه فكانا

    ف يالتزامٍ كَالشَمس وَالحِرباء

    He returned, with good fortune following him, so the two were

    in an embrace, like the sun and the chameleon.

  13. وَتحلَّت بالنور مصرُ فلم نَد

    رِ أَنقَضى لِلأَرضِ أم لِلسّماء

    And Egypt adorned herself with light, so we did not

    know whether we were destined for earth or for heaven.

  14. جاء من بَعد أَن تحكَّمَ فَرطُ الشَو

    قِ فينا فَلَمَّ شَملَ الهَناء

    He came after overwhelming longing had held sway

    over us, and reunited joy's scattered company.

  15. وَلو انَّ الأَخبارَ لم تَأتِ بِالعَو

    دِ عَرَفنا مجيئه بِالضِياء

    And even had the news not brought word of his return,

    we would have known his coming by the radiance.

  16. طابَ رَوضُ السرور حتّى سمعنا

    فيهِ من مدحِه غِنا الوَرقاء

    The garden of joy grew sweet, until we heard

    within it the gray dove's song in his praise.

  17. وَحوى بِالفَرمانِ ما حازه الفَر

    مانُ منه مِن عِزَّةٍ وَسَناء

    And through the firman he gained what the firman

    gained from him in honor and splendor.

  18. وَحَوت من سَناه دُهم اللَيالي

    ما تَمَنَّت من غرَّةٍ غَرّاء

    And the black nights gained from his radiance

    what they had wished for—a radiant brow.

  19. نطق الحالُ باِعتِلاه فماذا

    تنظِم الآن أَلسُنُ الشُعراء

    Circumstance proclaimed his exaltation; what, then,

    can the tongues of poets compose now?

  20. فهل النيل كان ناذرَ نَذرٍ

    ثمَّ وَفّاه إذ أَتى في بَهاء

    Did the Nile, then, make a vow

    and then fulfill it when he came in splendor,

  21. وَدرى بِالتَقصير منه فَأَضحى

    من حياءٍ بوَجنَةٍ حمراء

    and, aware of his own shortcomings, become

    red-cheeked with shame?

  22. لِلرَعايا منك الذي تَتَمَنّى

    وَلك الشُكر ملحَقاً بِالثَناء

    Your subjects receive from you what they desire,

    and yours is gratitude joined to praise.

  23. دُم دوامَ الزَمان في أُفقِ سعدٍ

    موليا أَنعُما بدون اِنتِهاء

    Endure as long as time, in a horizon of good fortune,

    bestowing blessings without end.