ما أَعافُ النَبيذَ خيفَةَ إِثمٍ

ما أَعافُ النَبيذَ خيفَةَ إِثمٍ

إِنَّما عِفتُهُ لِفَقدِ النَديمِ

إِنَّما عِفتُهُ لِفَقدِ النَديمِ

I do not shun wine for fear of sin;

I do not shun wine for fear of sin;

I shun it only for want of a boon companion.

I shunned it only for lack of a drinking companion.

لَيسَ في اللَهوِ وَالمُدامَةِ حَظٌّ

لَيسَ في اللَهوِ وَالمُدامَةِ حَظٌّ

لِكَريمٍ دونَ النَديمِ الكَريمِ

لِكَريمٍ دونَ النَديمِ الكَريمِ

There is no pleasure in revelry and wine

There is no pleasure in revelry and wine

for a noble man without a noble companion.

for a noble man without a noble drinking companion.

فَتَخَيَّر قَبلَ النَبيذِ نَديماً

فَتَخَيَّر قَبلَ النَبيذِ نَديماً

ذا خِلالٍ مُعَطَّراتِ النَسيمِ

ذا خِلالٍ مُعَطَّراتِ النَسيمِ

So choose, before the wine, a companion

So choose, before the wine, a drinking companion

of qualities fragrant as the breeze,

with virtues whose breeze is fragrant,

وَجَمالٍ إِذا نَظَرتَ بَديعٍ

وَجَمالٍ إِذا نَظَرتَ بَديعٍ

وَضَميرٍ إِذا اِختَبَرتَ سَليمِ

وَضَميرٍ إِذا اِختَبَرتَ سَليمِ

and beauty wondrous when you behold him,

and beauty that, when you look, is wondrous,

and an inner nature sound when you put him to the test.

and a conscience that, when you test it, is sound.