وَدارِ نَدامى عَطَّلوها وَأَدلَجوا

وَدارِ نَدامى عَطَّلوها وَأَدلَجوا

بِها أَثَرٌ مِنهُم جَديدٌ وَدارِسُ

بِها أَثَرٌ مِنهُم جَديدٌ وَدارِسُ

And a house of drinking companions—they left it vacant and set out by night;

And many a house of drinking companions, left void as they journeyed by night,

It bears traces of them, fresh and faded:

Bearing traces of them, some still fresh and others effaced;

مَساحِبُ مِن جَرِّ الزَقاقِ عَلى الثَرى

مَساحِبُ مِن جَرِّ الزَقاقِ عَلى الثَرى

وَأَضغاثُ ريحانٍ جَنِيٌّ وَيابِسُ

وَأَضغاثُ ريحانٍ جَنِيٌّ وَيابِسُ

Tracks from dragging wineskins over the earth,

Tracks where heavy wine-skins were dragged across the dust,

And bundles of basil, freshly picked and dry.

And handfuls of sweet basil, some freshly plucked, others withered.

حَبَستُ بِها صَحبي فَجَدَّدتُ عَهدَهُم

حَبَستُ بِها صَحبي فَجَدَّدتُ عَهدَهُم

وَإِنّي عَلى أَمثالِ تِلكَ لَحابِسُ

وَإِنّي عَلى أَمثالِ تِلكَ لَحابِسُ

I halted my companions there and revived their memory;

I halted my comrades there, renewing the memory of those who left,

And at places like that I am surely one to halt.

For indeed, at sites like these, I am bound to linger.

وَلَم أَدرِ مَن هُم غَيرَ ماشَهِدَت بِهِ

وَلَم أَدرِ مَن هُم غَيرَ ماشَهِدَت بِهِ

بِشَرقَيِّ ساباطَ الدِيارُ البَسابِسُ

بِشَرقَيِّ ساباطَ الدِيارُ البَسابِسُ

And I knew not who they were, save what was attested

I knew not who they were, save for what was witnessed

By the desolate dwellings east of Sabat.

By the desolate dwellings lying to the east of Sabat.

أَقَمنا بِها يَوماً وَيَوماً وَثالِثاً

أَقَمنا بِها يَوماً وَيَوماً وَثالِثاً

وَيَوماً لَهُ يَومُ التَرَحُّلِ خامِسُ

وَيَوماً لَهُ يَومُ التَرَحُّلِ خامِسُ

We stayed there a day, another day, and a third,

We stayed there a day, and a day, and a third,

And one more; the day of departure was the fifth.

And a day making four, followed by a fifth for departure.

تُدارُ عَلَينا الراحُ في عَسجَدِيَّةٍ

تُدارُ عَلَينا الراحُ في عَسجَدِيَّةٍ

حَبَتها بِأَلوانِ التَصاويرِ فارِسُ

حَبَتها بِأَلوانِ التَصاويرِ فارِسُ

Wine is passed around among us in a golden cup;

The wine was passed among us in a golden vessel

Persia had graced it with varied images.

Which Persia had endowed with images of many hues;

قَرارَتُها كِسرى وَفي جَنَباتِها

قَرارَتُها كِسرى وَفي جَنَباتِها

مَهاً تَدَّريها بِالقِسِيِّ الفَوارِسُ

مَهاً تَدَّريها بِالقِسِيِّ الفَوارِسُ

At its bottom is Kisra, and along its sides

In its hollow sits Khosrow, while upon its flanks

Are oryx that horsemen stalk with bows.

Are wild oryx that horsemen are stalking with bows.

فَلِلخَمرِ مازُرَّت عَلَيهِ جُيوبُها

فَلِلخَمرِ مازُرَّت عَلَيهِ جُيوبُها

وَلِلماءِ مادارَت عَلَيهِ القَلانِسُ

وَلِلماءِ مادارَت عَلَيهِ القَلانِسُ

So to the wine belongs what their collars are buttoned over,

So the wine covers what lies beneath their buttoned collars,

And to the water, what their caps encircle.

While the water rises to where the tall caps circle.