اِسقِنيها يا نَديمي بِغَلَس

اِسقِنيها يا نَديمي بِغَلَس

لا بِضَوءِ الصُبحِ بَل ضَوءِ القَبَس

لا بِضَوءِ الصُبحِ بَل ضَوءِ القَبَس

Pour it for me, O my drinking companion, in the predawn dark,

Serve it to me, my companion, in secret

Pour me a drink, O companion, in the gloom,

not by dawn's light, but by a torch's glow.

Not in the light of dawn, but in candlelight

Not by the light of dawn, but by the fire's plume.

اِسقِنيها مِن قِيامي خَمسَةً

اِسقِنيها مِن قِيامي خَمسَةً

فَإِذا دارَت فَمَن شاءَ حَبَس

فَإِذا دارَت فَمَن شاءَ حَبَس

Pour me five cups of it upon my rising;

Serve me five drinks from the time I stand

Pour me five measures as I rise to stand,

then, when it has gone round, whoever wishes may stop.

Then when it takes effect, whoever wishes may stay

Then let the cup circle; who wishes may stay his hand.

وَعَلى ذِكرِ حَبيبي فَاِسقِني

وَعَلى ذِكرِ حَبيبي فَاِسقِني

لا عَلى ذِكرِ مَحَلٍّ قَد دَرَس

لا عَلى ذِكرِ مَحَلٍّ قَد دَرَس

And in remembrance of my beloved, give me drink,

And in remembrance of my beloved, serve me

And to the memory of my beloved, fill the glass,

not in remembrance of a dwelling already effaced.

Not in remembrance of a place now in ruins

Not to the memory of ruins where shadows pass.

إِنَّ ذِكراهُ عَلى هِجرانِهِ

إِنَّ ذِكراهُ عَلى هِجرانِهِ

لَتُجَلّي كَربَ قَلبٍ مُختَلَس

لَتُجَلّي كَربَ قَلبٍ مُختَلَس

Indeed, the thought of him, despite his desertion,

For his memory despite his estrangement

For his memory, despite his desertion and part,

surely dispels the anguish of a stolen heart.

Alleviates the sorrows of a broken heart

Dispels the anguish of a captured heart.

كانَ يَلقاني زَماناً واصِلاً

كانَ يَلقاني زَماناً واصِلاً

فَاِلتَوى مِن بَعدِ وَصلي وَشَمَس

فَاِلتَوى مِن بَعدِ وَصلي وَشَمَس

For a time he would meet me in loving union;

He used to meet me long ago as a friend

Once he met me, joined in union sweet,

then, after union with me, he turned away and grew restive.

But after our union set, like the sun

Then turned away after our bond, in stubborn retreat.

أَفسَدَ الواشونَ إِلفي حَسَداً

أَفسَدَ الواشونَ إِلفي حَسَداً

تَعِسَ الواشي لِوَقتٍ وَنُكِس

تَعِسَ الواشي لِوَقتٍ وَنُكِس

The slanderers alienated my beloved out of envy;

The envious ones spoiled my intimacy in their jealousy

The slanderers corrupted my love out of spite;

may the slanderer come to grief for a time and be cast down!

Wretched are the envious, in time they are humbled

May the slanderer perish and fall in wretched plight.