ألَم تَرَني وَدَّعتُ ما كنتُ أشربُ

ألَم تَرَني وَدَّعتُ ما كنتُ أشربُ

من الخمر إذ رأسي لَكَ الخيرُ أشيبُ

من الخمر إذ رأسي لَكَ الخيرُ أشيبُ

Have you not seen me bid farewell to what I used to drink

Have you not seen me bid farewell to what I used to drink

of wine, now that my head—may good fortune be yours—has turned gray?

of wine, now that my head—may goodness be yours—is gray?

وكنتُ أروِّي هامَتي من عُقارها

وكنتُ أروِّي هامَتي من عُقارها

إذِ الحدُّ مأخوذٌ وإذ أنا أُضرَبُ

إذِ الحدُّ مأخوذٌ وإذ أنا أُضرَبُ

I used to slake my crown with its potent wine,

And I used to drench my head with its potent wine,

even while the prescribed penalty was exacted and I myself was flogged.

while the prescribed punishment was exacted and I was beaten.

فلمّا دَرَوا عنِّي الحدودَ تركتُها

فلمّا دَرَوا عنِّي الحدودَ تركتُها

وأضمرتُ فيها الخيرَ والخيرُ يُطلَبُ

وأضمرتُ فيها الخيرَ والخيرُ يُطلَبُ

But when they warded the prescribed punishments away from me, I gave it up

So when they spared me the prescribed punishments, I gave it up,

and inwardly resolved to do right about it—for good is to be sought.

and harbored good intentions concerning it, for goodness is sought.

وقال ليَ النَدمانُ لما تركتُها

وقال ليَ النَدمانُ لما تركتُها

أألجِدُّ هذا مِنكَ أم أنتَ تَلعبُ

أألجِدُّ هذا مِنكَ أم أنتَ تَلعبُ

My boon companions said to me when I had given it up:

And the drinking companion said to me when I gave it up:

“Are you truly in earnest about this, or are you jesting?”

'Is this in earnest on your part, or are you playing?'

وقالوا عجيبٌ تركُكَ اليومَ قهوةً

وقالوا عجيبٌ تركُكَ اليومَ قهوةً

كأنَي مجنون وجِلديَ أجربُ

كأنَي مجنون وجِلديَ أجربُ

They said, “How astonishing that today you have given up wine!”

And they said: 'Your giving up wine today is strange!'

as though I were mad and my skin were mangy.

As though I were mad and my skin were scabby.

سأتركُها للهِ ثم أذُّمها

سأتركُها للهِ ثم أذُّمها

وأهجرُها في بيتها حيثُ تُشرَبُ

وأهجرُها في بيتها حيثُ تُشرَبُ

I shall give it up for God’s sake, and then denounce it,

I shall give it up for God's sake, then condemn it,

and shun it in its own house, where it is drunk.

and shun it in its house, where it is drunk.