وَفِتيانِ صِدقٍ قَد صَرَفتُ مَطِيُّهُم

وَفِتيانِ صِدقٍ قَد صَرَفتُ مَطِيُّهُم

إِلى بَيتِ خَمّارٍ نَزَلنا بِهِ ظُهرا

إِلى بَيتِ خَمّارٍ نَزَلنا بِهِ ظُهرا

I turned the mounts of some true-hearted youths

And with a company of trustworthy youths, whose mounts I turned aside

toward a wine-seller’s house, where we stopped at noon.

Toward a vintner's house, where we alighted at noon.

فَلَمّا حَكى الزُنّارُ أَن لَيسَ مُسلِماً

فَلَمّا حَكى الزُنّارُ أَن لَيسَ مُسلِماً

ظَنَنّا بِهِ خَيراً فَظَنَّ بِنا شَرّا

ظَنَنّا بِهِ خَيراً فَظَنَّ بِنا شَرّا

When his girdle showed that he was no Muslim,

When his belt revealed that he was not of the Muslim faith,

we thought well of him, but he thought ill of us.

We hoped for good from him, though he feared ill from us.

فَقُلنا عَلى دينِ المَسيحِ بنِ مَريَمٍ

فَقُلنا عَلى دينِ المَسيحِ بنِ مَريَمٍ

فَأَعرَضَ مُزوَرّاً وَقالَ لَنا هُجرا

فَأَعرَضَ مُزوَرّاً وَقالَ لَنا هُجرا

We said, “Of the faith of Christ, son of Mary?”

So we asked, "Are you of the faith of the Messiah, son of Mary?"

He turned away disdainfully and spoke abusively to us:

He turned away askance and spoke harsh words to us:

وَلَكِن يَهودِيٌّ يُحِبُّكَ ظاهِراً

وَلَكِن يَهودِيٌّ يُحِبُّكَ ظاهِراً

وَيَضمِرُ في المَكنونِ مِنهُ لَكَ الخَترا

وَيَضمِرُ في المَكنونِ مِنهُ لَكَ الخَترا

“Rather, I am a Jew, who loves you outwardly,

"Nay, but a Jew who shows you affection outwardly,"

yet inwardly harbors treachery against you.”

"While concealing guile against you deep within."

فَقُلنا لَهُ ما الإِسمُ قالَ سَمَوأَلٌ

فَقُلنا لَهُ ما الإِسمُ قالَ سَمَوأَلٌ

عَلى أَنَّني أُكنى بِعَمرٍ وَلا عَمرا

عَلى أَنَّني أُكنى بِعَمرٍ وَلا عَمرا

We asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Samaw’al,

We asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "Samuel,"

though I am called Abu Amr—and I have no Amr.

"Though I go by the nickname Abu Amr, having no son named Amr."

وَما شَرَّفَتني كُنيَةٌ عَرَبِيَّةٌ

وَما شَرَّفَتني كُنيَةٌ عَرَبِيَّةٌ

وَلا أَكسَبَتني لا سَناءً وَلا فَخرا

وَلا أَكسَبَتني لا سَناءً وَلا فَخرا

No Arabic byname has ennobled me,

"No Arab nickname has ever conferred honor upon me,"

nor earned me either eminence or pride.

"Nor has it earned me any sublimity or pride."

وَلَكِنَّها خَفَّت وَقَلَّت حُروفُها

وَلَكِنَّها خَفَّت وَقَلَّت حُروفُها

وَلَيسَت كَأُخرى إِنَّما خُلِقَت وَقرا

وَلَيسَت كَأُخرى إِنَّما خُلِقَت وَقرا

But it is light, and its letters are few,

"Rather, it is light on the tongue, and its letters are few,"

unlike another, made only to be a burden.”

"Unlike other names created only to be a heavy burden."

فَقُلنا لَهُ عُجباً بِظَرفِ لِسانِهِ

فَقُلنا لَهُ عُجباً بِظَرفِ لِسانِهِ

أَجَدتَ أَبا عَمرٍ فَجَوِّد لَنا الخَمرا

أَجَدتَ أَبا عَمرٍ فَجَوِّد لَنا الخَمرا

Marveling at his witty tongue, we said to him,

We said to him, marveling at the wit of his tongue:

“Well spoken, Abu Amr! Now serve us fine wine.”

"You have spoken well, Abu Amr, so bring us wine of equal excellence."

فَأَدبَرَ كَالمُزوَرِّ يُقسِمُ طَرفَهُ

فَأَدبَرَ كَالمُزوَرِّ يُقسِمُ طَرفَهُ

لِأَرجُلِنا شَطراً وَأَوجُهِنا شَطرا

لِأَرجُلِنا شَطراً وَأَوجُهِنا شَطرا

He turned away as if offended, dividing his glances:

He retreated like one offended, dividing his glance,

half toward our feet, and half toward our faces.

Casting half toward our feet and half toward our faces,

وَقالَ لَعَمري لَو أَحَطتُم بِأَمرِنا

وَقالَ لَعَمري لَو أَحَطتُم بِأَمرِنا

لَلُمناكُمُ لَكِن سَنوسِعُكُم عَذرا

لَلُمناكُمُ لَكِن سَنوسِعُكُم عَذرا

He said, “By my life, had you understood our situation,

Saying, "By my life, if you truly understood our state,"

we would have blamed you; but we shall excuse you generously.”

"We would blame you, but we shall grant you ample excuse."

فَجاءَ بِها زَيتِيَّةً ذَهَبِيَّةً

فَجاءَ بِها زَيتِيَّةً ذَهَبِيَّةً

فَلَم نَستَطِع دونَ السُجودِ لَها صَبرا

فَلَم نَستَطِع دونَ السُجودِ لَها صَبرا

Then he brought it, oil-like and golden,

Then he brought it forth—golden and viscous as oil,

and we could not refrain from prostrating before it.

Before which we could not resist falling in prostration.

خَرَجنا عَلى أَنَّ المَقامَ ثَلاثَةٌ

خَرَجنا عَلى أَنَّ المَقامَ ثَلاثَةٌ

فَطابَت لَنا حَتّى أَقَمنا بِها شَهرا

فَطابَت لَنا حَتّى أَقَمنا بِها شَهرا

We had set out intending a stay of three days,

We had set out intending to stay but three days,

but it so delighted us that we stayed with it a month.

Yet it pleased us so well that we remained a whole month.

عِصابَةُ سوءٍ لا يَرى الدَهرُ مِثلُهُم

عِصابَةُ سوءٍ لا يَرى الدَهرُ مِثلُهُم

وَإِن كُنتُ مِنهُم لا بَريئاً وَلا صِفرا

وَإِن كُنتُ مِنهُم لا بَريئاً وَلا صِفرا

A wicked band, whose like Time never sees,

A band of scoundrels, the likes of whom Time has never seen,

though I was one of them, neither innocent nor free of guilt.

And I am one of them—neither innocent nor insignificant.

إِذا ما دَنا وَقتُ الصَلاةِ رَأَيتَهُم

إِذا ما دَنا وَقتُ الصَلاةِ رَأَيتَهُم

يَحُثّونَها حَتّى تَفوتَهُمُ سُكرا

يَحُثّونَها حَتّى تَفوتَهُمُ سُكرا

Whenever prayer time drew near, you would see them

Whenever the time for prayer drew near, you would see them

drinking it eagerly until, drunk, they missed the prayer.

Urging on the wine, until intoxication made them miss the rite.