أعد اللَّهو فإنَّ اللَّهوَ أحْمَدْ

أعد اللَّهو فإنَّ اللَّهوَ أحْمَدْ

وأدِرْها في لُجَين الكأس عَسْجَد

وأدِرْها في لُجَين الكأس عَسْجَد

Renew our revelry—for revelry is most praiseworthy;

Renew the revelry, for revelry is more praiseworthy.

pass it round: gold in a silver cup.

And pass it round, gold within the silver of the cup.

واسقنيها قهوةً عاديَّةً

واسقنيها قهوةً عاديَّةً

أخبرت عمَّا مضى في ذلك العهد

أخبرت عمَّا مضى في ذلك العهد

Give me that ancient wine to drink,

Pour it for me, an age-old wine,

telling of what passed in that bygone age.

telling of what passed in that distant age.

لو رأى كسرى سنا أنوارها

لو رأى كسرى سنا أنوارها

ظنَّها النار الَّتي في الفرس تعبد

ظنَّها النار الَّتي في الفرس تعبد

Had Khosrow seen the radiance of its lights,

Had Kisra seen its radiant glow,

he would have thought it the fire worshipped among the Persians.

he would have thought it the fire worshipped among the Persians.

لبست من حَبَب المزج لها

لبست من حَبَب المزج لها

تاجَ إسكندر ذي القرنين والسد

تاجَ إسكندر ذي القرنين والسد

From the bubbles of its mingling it donned

From the bubbles of its blending, it donned

the crown of Alexander, Lord of the Two Horns and the Barrier.

Alexander's crown, lord of the two horns and the barrier.

فاسقني اليوم أفاويق الطّلا

فاسقني اليوم أفاويق الطّلا

وأعدها يا نديمي لي في غد

وأعدها يا نديمي لي في غد

So give me today repeated draughts of wine,

So give me successive draughts of wine today,

and bring it back for me tomorrow, my boon companion.

and repeat them tomorrow for me, my drinking companion.

قَدُمت لكنَّنا في شربها

قَدُمت لكنَّنا في شربها

كلّ يوم في سرور يتجدَّد

كلّ يوم في سرور يتجدَّد

It is ancient, yet in drinking it we find

It has aged, yet in drinking it

each day a joy renewed.

we find delight renewed each day.

في رياضٍ لعبت فيها الصّبا

في رياضٍ لعبت فيها الصّبا

وأذاعت سرّ نشر الشّيح والرند

وأذاعت سرّ نشر الشّيح والرند

In gardens where the morning breeze played

In gardens where the east wind played

and divulged the secret fragrance of wormwood and myrtle,

and revealed the secret fragrance of wormwood and laurel,

أخَذَت زخرفها من بعد ما

أخَذَت زخرفها من بعد ما

حاكت المزن لها أثواب خرّد

حاكت المزن لها أثواب خرّد

the garden took on its adornment after

they took on their adornment after

the clouds had woven it garments fit for maidens.

the rainclouds wove them robes of bashful maidens.

نثر الطلّ عليها لؤلؤاً

نثر الطلّ عليها لؤلؤاً

أين من لؤْلؤها الدرّ المنضَّد

أين من لؤْلؤها الدرّ المنضَّد

The dew scattered pearls upon it—

The dew scattered pearls upon them;

what are strung gems beside its pearls?

what are strung pearls beside their pearls?

أحسب القطر على أزهارها

أحسب القطر على أزهارها

أدمُعاً سالتْ من العينِ على الخد

أدمُعاً سالتْ من العينِ على الخد

I fancy the raindrops upon its flowers

I take the raindrops upon their blossoms

are tears flowing from the eye across the cheek.

for tears flowing from eye to cheek.

فانثنت أغصانها مائسةً

فانثنت أغصانها مائسةً

طرب النشوان راحت تتأوَّد

طرب النشوان راحت تتأوَّد

Its branches bent, swaying gracefully;

Their branches bent, swaying gracefully;

like a drunken reveler in rapture, they began to undulate.

in a drunkard's rapture, they began to sway.

فَقَضَت عيناي منها عجباً

فَقَضَت عيناي منها عجباً

ومن القمريّ إذ غنَّى وغرَّد

ومن القمريّ إذ غنَّى وغرَّد

My eyes had their fill of wonder at it,

So my eyes had their fill of wonder at them,

and at the turtledove when it sang and trilled.

and at the turtledove as it sang and trilled.

هذه أغصانها قد شربت

هذه أغصانها قد شربت

فعلام الطَّير في الأَفنان عربد

فعلام الطَّير في الأَفنان عربد

Here are its branches: they have drunk—

These branches of theirs have drunk;

why, then, do the birds carouse among the boughs?

why, then, do the birds carouse among the boughs?

زمن الورد وما يُعجبُني

زمن الورد وما يُعجبُني

زمنٌ لِلَّهوِ إلاَّ زمنُ الورد

زمنٌ لِلَّهوِ إلاَّ زمنُ الورد

It is the season of roses; no season

It is rose season, and no season delights me

for revelry delights me but the season of roses.

for revelry except the season of roses.

تنقضي أيَّامه محمودةً

تنقضي أيَّامه محمودةً

في أمان الله من حَرٍّ ومن برد

في أمان الله من حَرٍّ ومن برد

Its days pass away in happiness,

Its days pass, worthy of praise,

safe in God's keeping from heat and cold.

in God's protection from heat and cold.

فاغتنمها فرصةً ما أمكنت

فاغتنمها فرصةً ما أمكنت

قبل أن تذهب يا صاحِ وتفقد

قبل أن تذهب يا صاحِ وتفقد

So seize it as an opportunity while you can,

So seize it as an opportunity while you can,

before it departs, my friend, and is lost—

before it slips away, my friend, and is lost,

بين شادٍ تطرب النفس به

بين شادٍ تطرب النفس به

يتغنَّى ومليح يتأوَّد

يتغنَّى ومليح يتأوَّد

amid a singer who delights the soul,

between a singer who delights the soul

singing, and a beauty swaying gracefully.

with his song, and a beauty swaying to and fro.

ما ألذَّ الرَّاح يُسقاها امرؤٌ

ما ألذَّ الرَّاح يُسقاها امرؤٌ

من يَدَيْ ساقٍ نقيِّ الخدِّ أمرد

من يَدَيْ ساقٍ نقيِّ الخدِّ أمرد

How delicious is the wine a man is given to drink

How delicious is wine when a man is served it

from the hands of a beardless cupbearer with an unblemished cheek!

by a clear-cheeked, beardless cupbearer!

يخجلُ الأَقمار حُسناً وجهه

يخجلُ الأَقمار حُسناً وجهه

وغصون البان ليناً ذلك القد

وغصون البان ليناً ذلك القد

His face puts the moons to shame in beauty,

His face puts moons to shame in beauty,

and that figure shames the soft willow boughs in suppleness.

and his figure shames the ban tree's boughs in suppleness.

فالعوالي والغوالي إنَّما انتَس

فالعوالي والغوالي إنَّما انتَس

بَتْ منه انتساب القدّ والند

بَتْ منه انتساب القدّ والند

Lofty spears and precious perfumes trace

Thus the lofty lances and precious perfumes derive

their lineage to him: his stature and his scent.

their stature and fragrance from him alone.

أرأيت السّحر فيما زعموا

أرأيت السّحر فيما زعموا

إنَّه راح إلى عينيه يسند

إنَّه راح إلى عينيه يسند

Have you seen the magic of which they speak?

Have you considered the magic they speak of?

It has gone to seek support in his two eyes.

It has come to be ascribed to his eyes.

أُنْزِلتْ للحسن آيات به

أُنْزِلتْ للحسن آيات به

آمن العاشق فيهنَّ وما ارتد

آمن العاشق فيهنَّ وما ارتد

Verses of beauty were revealed in him;

In him, verses of beauty were revealed;

the lover believed in them and never apostatized.

the lover believed in them and never turned apostate.

ما رمى قلبي إلاَّ عامداً

ما رمى قلبي إلاَّ عامداً

قاتلٌ لي ولقتلي يتعمَّد

قاتلٌ لي ولقتلي يتعمَّد

None but a deliberate assailant shot my heart—

He shot at my heart only with deliberate intent—

my slayer, intent upon killing me.

my killer, intent upon my death.

يأخذ الأَرواحَ من أربابها

يأخذ الأَرواحَ من أربابها

لعباً منه فما قولك إن جد

لعباً منه فما قولك إن جد

In play he takes souls from their owners;

He takes souls from their owners

what, then, would you say if he grew earnest?

in play; what would you say if he were serious?

سمح المهجة لا ممتنع

سمح المهجة لا ممتنع

عن محبٍّ خضل الطرف مسهَّد

عن محبٍّ خضل الطرف مسهَّد

Generous with his life, withholding it not

Generous of heart, he never withholds himself

from a sleepless lover whose eyes are wet with tears,

from a sleepless lover with tear-drenched eyes.

لا يشوب الوصل بالصّدّ ويا

لا يشوب الوصل بالصّدّ ويا

ربَّ إلفٍ لا يشوب الوصل بالصد

ربَّ إلفٍ لا يشوب الوصل بالصد

he does not taint union with rejection—and oh,

He never taints union with rejection—ah,

how many a beloved does not taint union with rebuff!

many a beloved never taints union with rejection!

بأبي الأَغيد لا بمزجها

بأبي الأَغيد لا بمزجها

من لماه بسوى العذب المبرد

من لماه بسوى العذب المبرد

May my father ransom the graceful youth! He mixes it not

My father be ransom for the graceful youth, who mixes it

from his lips with anything but cool sweetness.

with nothing but cool sweetness from his dark lips.

وبأحشائي من الوجد إلى

وبأحشائي من الوجد إلى

بارد الرّيقة نار تتوقَّد

بارد الرّيقة نار تتوقَّد

Yet in my entrails, from longing for

And in my breast, from yearning for

that cool-mouthed one, a fire blazes.

the one with cool saliva, a fire blazes.

حبَّذا العيش بمن قد تصطفي

حبَّذا العيش بمن قد تصطفي

لا النوى بادٍ ولا الشَّمل مبدّد

لا النوى بادٍ ولا الشَّمل مبدّد

How lovely is life with those whom you have chosen,

How lovely is life with one you choose,

with separation nowhere seen and the company never scattered,

with no parting in sight and no company dispersed,

تحت ظلَّي مالِكَيْ رقِّي وما

تحت ظلَّي مالِكَيْ رقِّي وما

غير محمود ولا غير محمد

غير محمود ولا غير محمد

beneath the twin shades of the two masters of my bondage, none

beneath the shelter of the two who hold me in bondage—

other than Mahmud and Muhammad—

none other than Mahmud and Muhammad:

النجيبين اللَّذين انتدبا

النجيبين اللَّذين انتدبا

بجميل الصنع والذكر المخلّد

بجميل الصنع والذكر المخلّد

the two noble men who have devoted themselves

the two noble men who stepped forward

to gracious deeds and undying renown;

with gracious deeds and everlasting renown;

والمجيدين وكلٌّ منهما

والمجيدين وكلٌّ منهما

طيّب العنصر زاكي الأَصل والجد

طيّب العنصر زاكي الأَصل والجد

the two glorious men, each of them

the two illustrious men, each of them

pure in nature, noble in root and ancestry;

pure of stock, noble in origin and ancestry;

والكريمين وما صوبُ الحيا

والكريمين وما صوبُ الحيا

إنْ يكنْ أبرقَ بالجود وأرعد

إنْ يكنْ أبرقَ بالجود وأرعد

the two generous men—the downpour of rain is nothing beside them,

the two generous men—what is pouring rain beside them,

though it flash lightning and thunder with generosity;

even if it flashes and thunders with bounty?

والرَّفيقين كأنِّي بهما

والرَّفيقين كأنِّي بهما

بلغا الغاية من مجد وسؤدد

بلغا الغاية من مجد وسؤدد

the two companions—I can almost see them

And the two kind companions, whom I seem to see

having reached the utmost height of glory and lordship.

having reached the summit of glory and lordship.

إنْ أُفاخِر بهما غيرهما

إنْ أُفاخِر بهما غيرهما

فَلَقَد أفْخَرُ بالحُرِّ على الوغد

فَلَقَد أفْخَرُ بالحُرِّ على الوغد

If through them I vie in pride with others,

If I boast of them above others,

then indeed I boast of the freeborn over the base.

I indeed boast of the noble over the base.

خُلِقا للفضل وارتاحا له

خُلِقا للفضل وارتاحا له

لا كمن عُوِّد قسْراً فتعوَّد

لا كمن عُوِّد قسْراً فتعوَّد

They were created for virtue and embraced it gladly,

They were created for virtue and delighted in it,

unlike one forced into a habit until it becomes his custom.

unlike one habituated by force until he grew accustomed.

إنَّ هذين هما ما برحا

إنَّ هذين هما ما برحا

للمعالي بمحلّ الكفّ والزند

للمعالي بمحلّ الكفّ والزند

These two have ever remained

These two have always held

to lofty deeds as hand and forearm.

in noble endeavors the place of hand and forearm.

فتأمَّلْ بهما أيّهما الذا

فتأمَّلْ بهما أيّهما الذا

بل الخطيُّ والسيف المهنَّد

بل الخطيُّ والسيف المهنَّد

Contemplate them: which one is that—

So consider them: which is the slender

rather, they are the Khattī spear and the Indian-forged sword.

Khatti lance, and which the Indian-forged sword?

إنْ يكونا قلَّداني نعمةً

إنْ يكونا قلَّداني نعمةً

أنا فيها فنعما أتقلَّد

أنا فيها فنعما أتقلَّد

If they have invested me with a favor,

If they have hung a favor about my neck,

how excellent the adornment I wear in it!

which I enjoy, how fine a necklace I wear!

وَصَلا حَبْلي وشادا مفخري

وَصَلا حَبْلي وشادا مفخري

ولمثلي فيهما الفخر المشيَّد

ولمثلي فيهما الفخر المشيَّد

They joined my bond and raised my pride,

They joined my cord to theirs and raised my renown;

and one like me may build lofty pride upon them.

for one like me, pride in them stands tall.

هكذا فلتكُ أبناء العُلى

هكذا فلتكُ أبناء العُلى

تقتفي الأَبناءُ إثر الأَب والجد

تقتفي الأَبناءُ إثر الأَب والجد

Thus should the sons of high lineage be:

Thus should the sons of eminence be:

sons following in the footsteps of father and grandfather.

sons following the footsteps of father and grandfather.

إنَّما الشّبل من اللَّيث وما

إنَّما الشّبل من اللَّيث وما

يلدُ الأَصيدُ يوماً غير أصيد

يلدُ الأَصيدُ يوماً غير أصيد

The lion cub comes only from the lion;

The cub comes only from the lion, and

the noble lion never begets anything but a noble lion—

no proud lion ever begets anything but a proud lion.

من أبٍ يفتخر المجد به

من أبٍ يفتخر المجد به

إنْ رمى أصْمى وأنْ ساعدَ أسعد

إنْ رمى أصْمى وأنْ ساعدَ أسعد

from a father in whom glory itself takes pride:

From a father in whom glory takes pride:

when he shoots, he strikes dead; when he aids, he brings good fortune.

if he shoots, he kills outright; if he helps, he brings success.

هو بحرٌ ما له من ساحل

هو بحرٌ ما له من ساحل

وحُسامٌ لم نقف منه على حد

وحُسامٌ لم نقف منه على حد

He is a sea without a shore,

He is an ocean without a shore,

and a keen sword whose limit we have never found;

and a keen sword whose limit we have never reached;

وهزبر باسل برثنه الأسم

وهزبر باسل برثنه الأسم

رُ العسَّال والعَضْبُ المجرَّد

رُ العسَّال والعَضْبُ المجرَّد

a valiant lion whose claw is the brown

and a fearless lion, whose claw is the dusky

spear and the unsheathed, sharp-edged sword.

quivering lance and the unsheathed keen blade.

هو مولايَ إذا استعطفتُه

هو مولايَ إذا استعطفتُه

عطف المولى من البرّ على العبد

عطف المولى من البرّ على العبد

He is my lord: when I appeal to his compassion,

He is my master: when I seek his kindness,

he shows a master's kindness to his servant.

he turns with a master's goodness toward his slave.

مالكٌ حكَّمني في ماله

مالكٌ حكَّمني في ماله

فلي الأَخذ خياراً ولي الرَّد

فلي الأَخذ خياراً ولي الرَّد

A master who gave me authority over his wealth,

A master who has given me command over his wealth:

so I may freely take or decline;

mine is the choice to take, and mine to refuse.

وحباني نعماً أشكرها

وحباني نعماً أشكرها

فله الشكر عليها وله الحمد

فله الشكر عليها وله الحمد

he bestowed favors upon me for which I thank him—

He bestowed favors that I thank him for;

to him belong my thanks for them and all praise.

to him belong thanks for them, and to him praise.

لا أُبالي إنْ يكنْ لي جُنَّةً

لا أُبالي إنْ يكنْ لي جُنَّةً

بزمان كانَ لي الخصمَ الأَلَنْدد

بزمان كانَ لي الخصمَ الأَلَنْدد

I care nothing for the age, if he is my shield,

I care nothing, if he is my shield,

though time has been my mighty adversary.

for time, once my most implacable foe.

طاول الأَيدي فطالت يده

طاول الأَيدي فطالت يده

ما على أيدي للعالم من يد

ما على أيدي للعالم من يد

He challenged all hands, and his hand surpassed them;

He vied with other hands, and his hand rose highest;

no hand in all the world stands above his.

no hand in the world stands above my hands.

حَفِظَ الحافِظُ نَجْلَيْه ولا

حَفِظَ الحافِظُ نَجْلَيْه ولا

برحا في أطيب العيش وأرغد

برحا في أطيب العيش وأرغد

May the Preserver preserve his two sons, and may they

May the Preserver preserve his two sons, and may they never

ever remain in the sweetest, most abundant life.

cease to enjoy the sweetest, most abundant life.

لم يلد مثل أبيهم والدٌ

لم يلد مثل أبيهم والدٌ

لم يلد قبل ولا من بعد يولد

لم يلد قبل ولا من بعد يولد

No father has begotten their father's equal;

No father ever begot the like of their father:

none did before, nor will one ever be born afterward.

none did before, nor will his like be born hereafter.

نصروا المجد وكانوا حزبه

نصروا المجد وكانوا حزبه

فهم الأنصار والحزب المؤيّد

فهم الأنصار والحزب المؤيّد

They championed glory and became its party:

They championed glory and were its party;

they are its helpers and its victorious host.

they are its helpers, its well-supported company.

فلقد طابوا وطابت خيمهم

فلقد طابوا وطابت خيمهم

طيِّبوا الأَعراق من قبل ومن بعد

طيِّبوا الأَعراق من قبل ومن بعد

Noble indeed are they, and noble is their character,

Noble are they, and noble their dispositions,

men of pure lineage, before and hereafter.

pure of lineage, before and after.

نبتوا فيها نباتاً حسناً

نبتوا فيها نباتاً حسناً

وغذاهم بلبان العزّ والمجد

وغذاهم بلبان العزّ والمجد

They grew from it into splendid growth,

They grew there with a goodly growth,

and it nourished them on the milk of honor and glory.

and he nourished them on the milk of honor and glory.

وإذا أمْعَنْتَ فيهم نظراً

وإذا أمْعَنْتَ فيهم نظراً

لم تجد إلاَّ شهاباً ثاقب الزند

لم تجد إلاَّ شهاباً ثاقب الزند

When you gaze deeply upon them,

And if you look deeply into them,

you find only a blazing meteor, mighty of forearm.

you find only a blazing star, its firestick sparking bright.

كلَّما زادَ وقاراً زدته

كلَّما زادَ وقاراً زدته

مِدَحاً تُتلى مدى الدهر وتنشد

مِدَحاً تُتلى مدى الدهر وتنشد

Whenever he grew in dignity, I increased for him

Whenever he grows in dignity, I grant him more

praises recited and sung throughout all time.

praises, recited and sung for all time.

وعذارٍ مذ بدا أرَّخته

وعذارٍ مذ بدا أرَّخته

لاحَ كالمسك عذار لمحمَّد

لاحَ كالمسك عذار لمحمَّد

When his first beard appeared, I dated it thus:

And when his cheek-down appeared, I recorded its date:

“Muhammad's down appeared, dark as musk.”

Like musk, down appeared on Muhammad's cheek.