The Complete Works of Saadi / Ghazals / O Cupbearer, Give That Ruby Goblet Running Wine

This is the opening couplet of a poem by Saadi, likely from the thirteenth century. The poem addresses a cupbearer, asking them to bring a flowing ruby goblet, in the voice of someone who finds joy or solace in wine and celebration. The speaker invokes a classical Persian motif of the wine cup as a source of pleasure and perhaps forgetfulness, characteristic of the lyric tradition that Saadi helped shape.