جَدِّد اللّذَّة حتَّى نتجدَّدْ

جَدِّد اللّذَّة حتَّى نتجدَّدْ

واسقنيها من لجين الكأس عَسْجَدِ

واسقنيها من لجين الكأس عَسْجَدِ

Renew delight, that we ourselves may be renewed;

Renew pleasure until we are renewed.

Pour it for me—gold from a silver cup.

And give it to me to drink—gold from the silver goblet.

وخُذِ اليوم بها لذَّتنا

وخُذِ اليوم بها لذَّتنا

وأعدها يا نديمي لي في غد

وأعدها يا نديمي لي في غد

Today, take our pleasure through it,

And take our pleasure in it today,

And bring it back for me tomorrow, my boon companion,

And repeat it for me tomorrow, my drinking companion.

بين ندمانٍ كأزهار الرُّبى

بين ندمانٍ كأزهار الرُّبى

كلُّ فرد منهم بالفضل مفرد

كلُّ فرد منهم بالفضل مفرد

Among drinking companions like upland flowers,

Among companions like flowers of the hills,

Each one uniquely distinguished by excellence.

Each one distinguished by his excellence.

نظمت شملهم كأس الطّلا

نظمت شملهم كأس الطّلا

فهو كالعقد وكالدّرّ المنضد

فهو كالعقد وكالدّرّ المنضد

The wine-cup strung their company together,

The cup of wine strung their company together,

Like a necklace, like close-set pearls.

So it is like a necklace, like pearls arrayed.

برزَ الروض بأبهى هيبةٍ

برزَ الروض بأبهى هيبةٍ

فتهيَّا للسرور اليوم واعتدِ

فتهيَّا للسرور اليوم واعتدِ

The garden came forth in its fairest majesty;

The garden appeared in its most splendid majesty,

So prepare for joy today, and make ready.

So prepare for joy today, and make ready.

ولقد جرّد من غمد الدُّجى

ولقد جرّد من غمد الدُّجى

صارم الفجر عياناً فتجدُّد

صارم الفجر عياناً فتجدُّد

From the sheath of darkness there was drawn

And from the sheath of darkness was drawn

The dawn’s keen sword, plainly seen—so be renewed!

Dawn's sharp sword, plainly seen—so be renewed.

وبقايا غلس أبصرتها

وبقايا غلس أبصرتها

ما تبقى من دخان العود والغد

ما تبقى من دخان العود والغد

And I beheld the remnants of twilight gloom,

And the remnants of predawn darkness I saw

What remained of the smoke of aloeswood and the morrow.

Were what remained of aloeswood smoke and 'tomorrow' [unclear in the text].

نبّه الورقاء حتَّى نبّهت

نبّه الورقاء حتَّى نبّهت

للحُميَّا أعيُناً للشرب هجّد

للحُميَّا أعيُناً للشرب هجّد

Rouse the ringdove, until she awakens

It roused the gray dove, until she roused

For the wine, eyes sleeping through the drinking-hour.

The drinkers' sleeping eyes to potent wine.

أطرَبتْنا الوُرقُ في ألحانها

أطرَبتْنا الوُرقُ في ألحانها

يا فدتها في الغواني أُمُّ معبد

يا فدتها في الغواني أُمُّ معبد

The gray doves enchanted us with their melodies—

The gray doves delighted us with their melodies:

Would Umm Maʿbad, among all beauties, ransom her!

Ah, may Umm Ma'bad, among the beauties, be their ransom!

في رياضٍ نضراتٍ أنبتت

في رياضٍ نضراتٍ أنبتت

ورق الياقوت من قضب الزبرجد

ورق الياقوت من قضب الزبرجد

Amid fresh, radiant gardens that grew

In verdant gardens that sprouted

Ruby leaves upon emerald boughs.

Ruby leaves from emerald twigs.

ولكم عدنا إلى أمثالها

ولكم عدنا إلى أمثالها

بعد حينٍ فوجدنا العَوْدَ أحمد

بعد حينٍ فوجدنا العَوْدَ أحمد

How often we returned to gardens like them

How often we returned to gardens like these,

After a time, and found returning more praiseworthy.

After a while, and found the return sweeter still.

وشهدنا مشهد الأُنس بها

وشهدنا مشهد الأُنس بها

وقعدنا للهوى في كل مقعد

وقعدنا للهوى في كل مقعد

There we witnessed the spectacle of fellowship,

We witnessed there the scene of convivial joy,

And sat wherever love offered a seat.

And sat for love in every seat.

وقضينا جباً من روضةٍ

وقضينا جباً من روضةٍ

شرب الغصنُ فما للطير عربد

شرب الغصنُ فما للطير عربد

We gathered tribute from a garden;

And we marveled at a garden [uncertain reading],

The bough drank, and then the bird caroused.

The bough drank—why, then, did the bird carouse?

ومُدير الكأس في أرجائها

ومُدير الكأس في أرجائها

قمر يبدو وغصن يتأوّد

قمر يبدو وغصن يتأوّد

The cupbearer roaming through its reaches

And the cupbearer in its expanses

Is a rising moon, a swaying bough.

Is a moon appearing, a bough swaying.

إنَّ أشهى الرَّاح ما تأخذه

إنَّ أشهى الرَّاح ما تأخذه

من يَدَيْ ساق نقي الخدّ أمرد

من يَدَيْ ساق نقي الخدّ أمرد

The sweetest wine is that which you take

Indeed, the most desirable wine is what you take

From the hands of a beardless cupbearer with a pure cheek.

From the hands of a clear-cheeked, beardless cupbearer.

خِلْتُ ما في يده في خدِّه

خِلْتُ ما في يده في خدِّه

فسواء بين ما في اليد والخدّ

فسواء بين ما في اليد والخدّ

I fancied what was in his hand was in his cheek:

I fancied what was in his hand was in his cheek,

What lies in hand and cheek are just alike.

For what is in the hand and cheek is alike.

بابليُّ الطَّرف حلويّ اللّمى

بابليُّ الطَّرف حلويّ اللّمى

ليِّن الجانب قاسي القلب جلمد

ليِّن الجانب قاسي القلب جلمد

His glance is Babylonian, his dark lips sweet;

Babylonian of gaze, sweet in his lips' dark tint,

Gentle in manner, but hard-hearted as rock.

Gentle of manner, hard of heart, flinty.

ألعسٌ مُذْ بردتْ ريقته

ألعسٌ مُذْ بردتْ ريقته

أورثتنا نار شوقٍ تتوقَّد

أورثتنا نار شوقٍ تتوقَّد

Dark-lipped—once his saliva had grown cool,

Dark-lipped: ever since his saliva cooled,

He bequeathed us a blazing fire of longing.

It has left us a fire of longing that blazes.

فشربنا خدّه من يده

فشربنا خدّه من يده

واقتطفنا منه غصن الآس والورد

واقتطفنا منه غصن الآس والورد

From his hand we drank his cheek,

So we drank his cheek from his hand,

And from him plucked myrtle and rose boughs.

And plucked from him a bough of myrtle and roses.

واتَّخذناه وإنْ يأبَى التُّقى

واتَّخذناه وإنْ يأبَى التُّقى

صنماً لكنَّه للحُسن يعبد

صنماً لكنَّه للحُسن يعبد

We made him an idol, though piety refuses;

And we made him, though piety forbids it,

Yet for his beauty he is worshipped.

An idol—but for beauty he is worshipped.

يبعث الوجد إلى كلّ حشا

يبعث الوجد إلى كلّ حشا

لِخَلِيٍّ من هواه حيث لا وجد

لِخَلِيٍّ من هواه حيث لا وجد

He sends passion into every breast,

He sends longing into every breast

Even one free of love for him, where passion had not been.

Of one untouched by love for him, where no longing was.

لو رآه تائب من ذنبه

لو رآه تائب من ذنبه

قد تبدَّى وهو مثل البدر لارتد

قد تبدَّى وهو مثل البدر لارتد

Had a sinner, repentant of his sin, beheld him

If one repentant of his sin saw him

Appearing like the full moon, he would have relapsed.

Revealed like the full moon, he would relapse.

جحدت أعينُه سفك دمي

جحدت أعينُه سفك دمي

وعليه حدّه في الوجه يشهد

وعليه حدّه في الوجه يشهد

His eyes denied having shed my blood,

His eyes denied shedding my blood,

Though their blade upon his face bears witness.

Yet his sharp edge upon his face bears witness against him.

لستُ أدري أيّما أمضي شباً

لستُ أدري أيّما أمضي شباً

في فؤادي ذلك الطرف أم القد

في فؤادي ذلك الطرف أم القد

I do not know which has driven the sharper blade

I do not know which has the sharper edge

Into my heart: that glance, or that figure.

In my heart: that gaze or that stature.

إنَّ هاروت وماروت لقد

إنَّ هاروت وماروت لقد

أخذا عنه حديث السَّحر مسند

أخذا عنه حديث السَّحر مسند

Surely Hārūt and Mārūt

Indeed, Harut and Marut have surely

Received from him an authenticated account of magic.

Received from him the lore of magic with a chain of transmission.

ليِّن الأَعطاف حتَّى إنَّه

ليِّن الأَعطاف حتَّى إنَّه

كادَ من شدَّة ذاك اللِّين يعقد

كادَ من شدَّة ذاك اللِّين يعقد

So supple of limb that he

Supple of limb, so much so that

Almost knots himself from the very excess of that suppleness.

He could almost be knotted, so great is that suppleness.

يا له من مطربٍ يعجبني

يا له من مطربٍ يعجبني

غزلي فيه ومدحي لمحمد

غزلي فيه ومدحي لمحمد

What an enchanting theme, delighting me—

Ah, what a delight it is! How I relish

My love poetry about him, and my praise of Muhammad,

My love-poetry for him and my praise of Muhammad,

ذي يدٍ طولى فشكراً ليدٌ

ذي يدٍ طولى فشكراً ليدٌ

من عريق في المعالي الغرِّ ذي يد

من عريق في المعالي الغرِّ ذي يد

Possessor of far-reaching bounty—so thanks to the hand

Whose hand is far-reaching: thanks, then, to the hand

Of one deep-rooted in bright eminence, a man of generosity.

Of one rooted in radiant eminence, a benefactor.

ضمَّ برداه تقيًّا ماجداً

ضمَّ برداه تقيًّا ماجداً

وجد التّقوى مزاداً فتزوَّد

وجد التّقوى مزاداً فتزوَّد

His two robes enfold a pious, glorious man;

His two cloaks enfolded a pious, noble man,

He found piety a provision-store and took his sustenance.

Who found piety a source of provisions, and provisioned himself.

قد نظرنا جدَّه أو جَدَّه

قد نظرنا جدَّه أو جَدَّه

فنظرنا بالعلى ما يصنع الجدّ

فنظرنا بالعلى ما يصنع الجدّ

We have considered his earnest endeavor—or his grandfather—

We have considered his diligence—or his grandfather—

And through high honors seen what earnestness can do.

And seen what diligence—or lineage—does for eminence.

يقتفي آثار آباءٍ له

يقتفي آثار آباءٍ له

أثر المجد اقتفى عنهم وقلَّد

أثر المجد اقتفى عنهم وقلَّد

He follows the traces of his forefathers,

He follows the traces of his forefathers;

Following and emulating their legacy of glory.

He followed their trail of glory and emulated them.

وعلى ما عُوِّدت آباؤُه

وعلى ما عُوِّدت آباؤُه

عوّدته من قديم فتعوَّد

عوّدته من قديم فتعوَّد

What his fathers were accustomed to

And in the ways his forefathers were trained in,

Has long accustomed him, until it became his habit.

They trained him long ago, and he grew accustomed.

علماءٌ عملوا في علْمِهم

علماءٌ عملوا في علْمِهم

مَهَّدوا الدِّين من المهد إلى اللّحد

مَهَّدوا الدِّين من المهد إلى اللّحد

Scholars who acted according to their knowledge,

Scholars who put their knowledge into practice,

They established religion from cradle to grave.

They laid religion's foundations from cradle to grave.

ولكم حُلَّ بهم من مشكل

ولكم حُلَّ بهم من مشكل

وهم إذ ذاك أهل الحلّ والعقد

وهم إذ ذاك أهل الحلّ والعقد

How many a difficulty was resolved through them,

How many a difficulty was resolved through them!

For they were the men empowered to loose and bind.

And then they held the power to loose and bind.

رفعت آثاره أعلامَهم

رفعت آثاره أعلامَهم

فبنى بي معاليهم وشيّد

فبنى بي معاليهم وشيّد

His deeds raised their banners high,

His deeds raised their banners,

And through me he built and exalted their lofty honors.

And through me he built their lofty honors and raised them high.

ماجدٌ يعلو على أقرانه

ماجدٌ يعلو على أقرانه

وقد احتلَّ رعان العزّ والمجد

وقد احتلَّ رعان العزّ والمجد

A glorious man who rises above his peers,

A noble man who rises above his peers,

Having gained the summits of honor and glory.

And has occupied the peaks of honor and glory.

ليس يخفى فهمه أو علمه

ليس يخفى فهمه أو علمه

لاح للعالم مثل العلم الفرد

لاح للعالم مثل العلم الفرد

Neither his understanding nor his learning lies hidden;

Neither his understanding nor his knowledge is hidden;

He shone before the world like a peerless banner.

It shone before the world like a solitary mountain.

قَصَدَتْ وُفَّاده إحسانَه

قَصَدَتْ وُفَّاده إحسانَه

قلَّ من يُرجى لإحسانٍ ويُقْصَدِ

قلَّ من يُرجى لإحسانٍ ويُقْصَدِ

His delegations sought his beneficence—

His visitors sought his generosity;

Few are those whose kindness is hoped for and sought.

Rare is one looked to for kindness and sought out.

غير بدعٍ إنْ تحرّينا له

غير بدعٍ إنْ تحرّينا له

مكرمات من كريم الأَب والجد

مكرمات من كريم الأَب والجد

No wonder, when we trace in him

It is no wonder if we seek in him

Noble deeds from a generous father and grandfather.

Noble deeds, from one of noble father and grandfather.

فإذا أفسد حالاً زمنٌ

فإذا أفسد حالاً زمنٌ

أصْلَحَتْ ما أقصد الدهر وأفسد

أصْلَحَتْ ما أقصد الدهر وأفسد

Whenever time corrupted some condition,

So whenever time spoils a condition,

His generosity repaired what the age had impaired and ruined.

His noble deeds repair what time has struck down and spoiled.

وأمدَّتْني يداه بالنَّدى

وأمدَّتْني يداه بالنَّدى

وكذاك البحر يوم الجزر والمدّ

وكذاك البحر يوم الجزر والمدّ

His two hands supplied me with bounty—

His two hands supplied me with bounty,

So too the sea, at ebb tide and at flood.

And such is the sea at ebb and flow.

إذ حلَلْنا نادياً حلَّ به

إذ حلَلْنا نادياً حلَّ به

لم نحلّ إلاَّ بغاب الأسدِ الورد

لم نحلّ إلاَّ بغاب الأسدِ الورد

When we entered an assembly where he dwelt,

When we entered an assembly where he had settled,

We lodged nowhere but in the lair of tawny lions.

We entered nothing but the tawny lion's thicket.

وإلى ناديه في يوم النَّدى

وإلى ناديه في يوم النَّدى

أدبٌ يُجبى ومال يتبدّد

أدبٌ يُجبى ومال يتبدّد

To his gathering, on the day of generosity,

And to his assembly, on the day of generosity,

Culture is brought in, while wealth is scattered abroad.

Literature is brought as tribute, and wealth scattered.

عارض من فضله ممطرنا

عارض من فضله ممطرنا

لا كما العارض إنْ أبرقَ أو أرعد

لا كما العارض إنْ أبرقَ أو أرعد

A rain cloud of his bounty showers upon us,

A rain-cloud of his bounty showers us,

Unlike a cloud that merely flashes or thunders.

Unlike a cloud that merely flashes or thunders.

فَلَكَ الأَيدي على طول المدى

فَلَكَ الأَيدي على طول المدى

أبداً بيضٌ بجنح الخطب أسود

أبداً بيضٌ بجنح الخطب أسود

Yours are hands that, throughout all time,

So your hands, through all the length of time,

Remain ever white amid calamity’s black wings.

Are ever white beneath calamity's black wing.

فتولَّ من ثنائي مدحةً

فتولَّ من ثنائي مدحةً

أيُّها المولى فقد لاذَ بك العبد

أيُّها المولى فقد لاذَ بك العبد

Accept, then, from my praise this eulogy,

So accept from my praise a eulogy,

My lord—for your servant has sought refuge in you.

O master, for the servant has sought refuge in you.

قد مضى الشَّهر صياماً وتقًى

قد مضى الشَّهر صياماً وتقًى

فابقَ واسلمْ دائم العزِّ مخلّد

فابقَ واسلمْ دائم العزِّ مخلّد

The month has passed in fasting and devotion;

The month has passed in fasting and piety;

So remain safe, everlasting in enduring honor.

So live on and fare well, enduring in honor, immortal.

واهنأ بالعيد فقد عاد بما

واهنأ بالعيد فقد عاد بما

تشتهيه أنت من عزٍّ وسؤدد

تشتهيه أنت من عزٍّ وسؤدد

Rejoice in the feast, for it has returned bearing

And rejoice in Eid, for it has returned with what

The honor and lordship that you desire.

You desire of honor and eminence.

لستُ أدري أؤهَنِّيك به

لستُ أدري أؤهَنِّيك به

أمْ أُهنِّي بك في إكرامك الوفد

أمْ أُهنِّي بك في إكرامك الوفد

I do not know whether to congratulate you upon it,

I do not know whether to congratulate you on it,

Or congratulate the feast upon you, as you honor the delegation.

Or congratulate the delegation on you, for the honor you show them.

وجزاك الله عنِّي خير ما

وجزاك الله عنِّي خير ما

جُوزيَ المنعِمُ بالشّكران والحمد

جُوزيَ المنعِمُ بالشّكران والحمد

May God reward you on my behalf with the finest reward

May God reward you on my behalf with the best reward

Ever given a benefactor through gratitude and praise.

A benefactor has ever received in gratitude and praise.