Unto Diyar-i-Bakr (“maid-land”[[93]]) this one lures; ✿ That lures to two-mosqued cities of the plain.[[94]]
Now each of the youths had drunk two cups, and when it came to the turn of Abu Nowas, he took the goblet and repeated these couplets:—
Drink not strong wine save at the slender dearling’s hand; ✿ Each like to other in all gifts the spirit grace:
For wine can never gladden toper’s heart and soul, ✿ Unless the cup-boy show a bright and sparkling face.
Then he drank off his cup and the bowl went round, and when it came to Abu Nowas again, joyance got the mastery of him and he repeated these couplets:—
For cup-friends cup succeeding cup assign, ✿ Brimming with grape-juice, brought in endless line,
By hand of brown-lipped[[95]] Beauty who is sweet ✿ At wake as apple or musk finest fine.[[96]]
Drink not the wine except from hand of fawn ✿ Whose cheek to kiss is sweeter than the wine.
Presently the drink got into his noddle, drunkenness mastered him and he knew not hand from head, so that he lolled from side to side in joy and inclined to the youths one and all, anon kissing them and anon embracing them leg overlying leg. And he showed no sense of sin or shame, but recited these couplets:—
None wotteth best joyance but generous youth ✿ When the pretty ones deign with him company keep: