وَنَديمٍ لَم يَزَل ساقِيَنا

وَنَديمٍ لَم يَزَل ساقِيَنا

وَعَلى الصُبحِ مِنَ اللَيلِ إِزارُ

وَعَلى الصُبحِ مِنَ اللَيلِ إِزارُ

And a drinking companion kept serving as our cupbearer,

A constant drinking companion through the night

And a boon companion who remained our cupbearer,

while dawn wore a mantle of night.

As the dawn covered the darkness with its gown

While Dawn still wore the dark cloak of Night;

فَاِحتَسى حَتّى تَوَلّى لَيلُهُ

فَاِحتَسى حَتّى تَوَلّى لَيلُهُ

فَكَساهُ الصُبحُ ثَوباً ما يُعارُ

فَكَساهُ الصُبحُ ثَوباً ما يُعارُ

Then he drank until his night had passed,

He drank until his night came to an end

He quaffed the wine until his night turned away,

and dawn clothed him in a robe that is not lent.

And the dawn clothed him in a robe beyond reproach

And Morning clad him in a garment that is never lent.

فَتَغَشّاهُ كَراهُ فَهَذى

فَتَغَشّاهُ كَراهُ فَهَذى

ساعَةً ثُمَّ تَغَشّاهُ الخُمارُ

ساعَةً ثُمَّ تَغَشّاهُ الخُمارُ

Then his drowsiness overcame him, and he babbled

In his drunkenness he raved for a while

Then slumber engulfed him and he raved deliriously

for a while; then the hangover overtook him.

Then sleepiness overcame him like a veil

For an hour, until the heavy stupor overcame him;

فَاِستَوى كَالصَقرِ مِن رِقدَتِهِ

فَاِستَوى كَالصَقرِ مِن رِقدَتِهِ

يَنفُضُ الرَأسَ وَما فيهِ غُبارُ

يَنفُضُ الرَأسَ وَما فيهِ غُبارُ

Then he rose like a falcon from his slumber,

He straightened up from his slumber

Then he straightened up from his rest like a falcon,

shaking his head, though it had no dust.

Like a falcon shaking off dust from its head

Shaking his head, though it bore no dust.