قَد هَجَرتُ النَديمَ وَالنُدمانا

قَد هَجَرتُ النَديمَ وَالنُدمانا

وَتَمَتَّعتُ ما كَفاني زَمانا

وَتَمَتَّعتُ ما كَفاني زَمانا

I have forsaken the drinking companion and the boon companions.

I have abandoned the companion and the cups,

I have forsaken the drinking companion and the circle of friends,

And I have enjoyed myself long enough.

And enjoyed all that sufficed me for a time.

Having enjoyed my pleasures for a time that sufficed me.

وَأَبى لي خَليفَةُ اللَهِ إِلّا

وَأَبى لي خَليفَةُ اللَهِ إِلّا

عَزفَ نَفسي فَقَد عَزَفتُ أَوانا

عَزفَ نَفسي فَقَد عَزَفتُ أَوانا

And God's caliph would allow me nothing but

And the Caliph of Allah willed for me nothing but

The Caliph of God would accept nothing for me less than

my soul's abstinence; so I have abstained for a time.

To tune my soul, so I have tuned for a while.

The disciplining of my soul, so I have disciplined it for now.

وَلَقَد طالَ ما أَبَيتُ عَلَيهِ

وَلَقَد طالَ ما أَبَيتُ عَلَيهِ

في أُمورٍ خَلَعتُ فيها العِنانا

في أُمورٍ خَلَعتُ فيها العِنانا

And long indeed did I defy him

And indeed long have I refused

Yet long did I resist his will regarding these matters,

in matters where I cast off the reins.

In matters I let loose the reins.

In affairs where I had cast off the reins of restraint.

وَغَزالٍ عاطَيتُهُ الراحَ حَتّى

وَغَزالٍ عاطَيتُهُ الراحَ حَتّى

فَتَّرَت مِنهُ مُقلَةً وَلِسانا

فَتَّرَت مِنهُ مُقلَةً وَلِسانا

And a gazelle—I shared wine with him, until

And a gazelle I let roam free

And many a young gazelle I plied with wine until

it made his eye and tongue languid.

Until there crumbled from it a cheek and a tongue.

It brought a heavy languor to his eyes and tongue.

قالَ لا تُسكِرَنَّني بِحَياتي

قالَ لا تُسكِرَنَّني بِحَياتي

قُلتُ لا بُدَّ أَن تُرى سَكرانا

قُلتُ لا بُدَّ أَن تُرى سَكرانا

He said, "Do not make me drunk, by my life."

It said, “Do not intoxicate me with my life,”

He said, "Do not intoxicate me, by my life!"

I said, "You must be seen drunk.

I said, “You must be seen drunk.”

I replied, "It is inevitable that you be seen drunk."

إِنَّ لي حاجَةٌ إِلَيكَ إِذا نِم

إِنَّ لي حاجَةٌ إِلَيكَ إِذا نِم

تَ فَإِن شِئتَ فَاِقضِها يَقظانا

تَ فَإِن شِئتَ فَاِقضِها يَقظانا

I have a need of you when you sleep;

I have a need of you when you sleep,

"For I have a need of you when you fall asleep,"

so, if you wish, grant it while awake."

So fulfill it if you wish awake.

"But if you prefer, fulfill it while you are awake."

فَتَلَكّا تَلَكِّياً في اِنخِناثٍ

فَتَلَكّا تَلَكِّياً في اِنخِناثٍ

ثُمَّ أَصغى لِما أَرَدتُ فَكانا

ثُمَّ أَصغى لِما أَرَدتُ فَكانا

So he hung back hesitantly, with effeminate softness,

It leaned to and fro coyly,

He hesitated with a coy and tender delay,

then he heeded what I wanted, and so it was.

Then listened to what I wanted, and so it was.

Then yielded to what I desired, and so it was done.