أَمالِكُ باكِرِ الصَهباءَ مالِ

أَمالِكُ باكِرِ الصَهباءَ مالِ

وَإِن غالَوا بِها ثَمَناً فَغالِ

وَإِن غالَوا بِها ثَمَناً فَغالِ

O Malik, drink the tawny wine at dawn, Malik;

My lovers are early risers before dawn

O Malik, rise early for the russet wine, O Malik! And if they prize it highly, then bid the price yet higher.

And if they charge dearly for it, pay dearly.

Even if they paid a high price for it

And a grizzled master of the tavern you shall see, his whiskers stained black from blowing into the pitch-lined skin.

وَأَشمَطَ رَبِّ حانوتٍ تَراهُ

وَأَشمَطَ رَبِّ حانوتٍ تَراهُ

لِنَفخِ الزِقِّ مُسوَدَّ السِبالِ

لِنَفخِ الزِقِّ مُسوَدَّ السِبالِ

And a grizzled tavern-keeper, whom you see

The shopkeeper frowned as he inflated

I called to him when drowsiness had stolen his senses, as he cushioned his head upon his left palm.

With whiskers blackened from blowing into the wineskin,

His wineskin blackened by repeated filling

He leapt up at my call, startled and seized by fright, and hastened to kindle the wicks of the lamps.

دَعَوتُ وَقَد تَخَوَّنَهُ نُعاسٌ

دَعَوتُ وَقَد تَخَوَّنَهُ نُعاسٌ

فَوَسَّدَهُ بِراحَتِهِ الشِمالِ

فَوَسَّدَهُ بِراحَتِهِ الشِمالِ

I called, as drowsiness had stolen over him

I called him while drowsiness betrayed him

Then his terror vanished, and joy took its place, and he chuckled aloud with a lighthearted spirit.

And pillowed him upon his left palm.

And he blocked it with his left palm

And when the firelight revealed my face, he greeted me with the warmth of a lover, soft in his questioning.

فَقامَ لِدَعوَتي فَزِعاً مَروعاً

فَقامَ لِدَعوَتي فَزِعاً مَروعاً

وَأَسرَعَ نَحوَ إِشعالِ الذُبالِ

وَأَسرَعَ نَحوَ إِشعالِ الذُبالِ

So he rose at my call, startled and terrified,

He rose up to my call, startled and anxious

I counted into his hand a thousand coins for the month, with no terms of refund, nor word of retraction.

And hurried to light the wicks.

And rushed to light up the lanterns

So I remained in his halls like a bridegroom, wedded to two virgins: the wine and the kin.

وَأَفرَخَ روعُهُ وَأَفادَ بِشراً

وَأَفرَخَ روعُهُ وَأَفادَ بِشراً

وَهَرهَرَ ضاحِكاً جَذلانَ بالِ

وَهَرهَرَ ضاحِكاً جَذلانَ بالِ

And his fright subsided, and he grew cheerful,

His anxiety subsided and he brought good news

In this manner I continue, and have ever been: profligate with my faith and lavish with my wealth.

And guffawed, laughing, glad at heart.

Laughing loudly, joking and playing

The forbidden suits me well when we are united, and I turn away from all that is lawful and proper.

فَلَمّا بَيَّنَتني النارُ حَيّا

فَلَمّا بَيَّنَتني النارُ حَيّا

تَحِيَّةَ وامِقٍ لَطِفِ السُؤالِ

تَحِيَّةَ وامِقٍ لَطِفِ السُؤالِ

Then, when the fire revealed me, he greeted me

When the fire made me out clearly

With a lover's greeting, gentle in his inquiries.

With a warm welcome and gentle inquiry

عَدَدتُ بِكَفِّهِ أَلفاً لِشَهرٍ

عَدَدتُ بِكَفِّهِ أَلفاً لِشَهرٍ

بِلا شَرطِ المُقيلِ وَلا المَقالِ

بِلا شَرطِ المُقيلِ وَلا المَقالِ

I counted a thousand into his palm for a month,

I counted with his palm a thousand for the month

With no cancellation terms for either party.

With no condition of an agent or speech

فَظِلتُ لَدى دَساكِرِهِ عَروساً

فَظِلتُ لَدى دَساكِرِهِ عَروساً

بِعَذراوَينِ مِن خَمرٍ وَآلِ

بِعَذراوَينِ مِن خَمرٍ وَآلِ

So I stayed at his country houses, a bridegroom,

So I remained at his taverns a bride

With two virgins—one of wine, one of his kin.

With two maids of wine and melody

كَذَلِكَ لا أَزالُ وَلَم أَزَلهُ

كَذَلِكَ لا أَزالُ وَلَم أَزَلهُ

ذَريعَ الباعِ في ديني وَمالي

ذَريعَ الباعِ في ديني وَمالي

Thus I remain, and have always been,

Thus I still am and have not changed

Free-handed with my faith and my wealth.

A victim of selling my religion and money

يُلائِمُني الحَرامُ إِذا اِجتَمَعنا

يُلائِمُني الحَرامُ إِذا اِجتَمَعنا

وَأَجفو عَن مُلاءَمَةِ الحَلالِ

وَأَجفو عَن مُلاءَمَةِ الحَلالِ

The forbidden suits me whenever we meet,

Forbidden suits me when we meet

And I shun accord with the lawful.

And I turn away from lawful company