قِف لا تَخَلخَل عَنِ الريحانِ وَالراحِ

قِف لا تَخَلخَل عَنِ الريحانِ وَالراحِ

وَعَن تَرَنُّمِ أَوتارٍ بِإِفصاحِ

وَعَن تَرَنُّمِ أَوتارٍ بِإِفصاحِ

Stay; do not withdraw from basil and wine,

Stop! Do not drift away from the sweet-smelling herbs,

Stay! Do not waver from the basil and the wine,

And from the clear, melodious singing of strings.

Nor from the murmur of strings with eloquent tones,

Nor from the clear and chanting voice of strings.

مِن كَفِّ ساقِيَةٍ يَستَلُّ ناظِرُها

مِن كَفِّ ساقِيَةٍ يَستَلُّ ناظِرُها

لِدِقَّةِ الفَهمِ ما أَوحى بِهِ الواحي

لِدِقَّةِ الفَهمِ ما أَوحى بِهِ الواحي

From a cupbearer’s hand, whose gaze draws out

From the hand of a cupbearer whose gaze is fixed

From a cupbearer's hand, whose gaze draws out,

Through keen understanding what the one who hints has intimated.

On the subtlety of understanding what the inspirer has conveyed.

With subtle wit, the secrets that the whisperer hints.

وَيا تَعالي عُقاراً قَرقَفاً رَقَصَت

وَيا تَعالي عُقاراً قَرقَفاً رَقَصَت

عِندَ المِزاجِ بِطاساتٍ وَأَقداحِ

عِندَ المِزاجِ بِطاساتٍ وَأَقداحِ

And, oh, come, wine—shiver-inducing wine that danced

And come, let us drink heady wine that danced

Come, bring a trembling vintage that begins to dance

When mixed in bowls and goblets.

When blended, in cups and goblets,

When mixed within the goblets and the bowls;

تُبدي الشُموسُ إِذا ما الماءُ خالَطَها

تُبدي الشُموسُ إِذا ما الماءُ خالَطَها

شُعاعَ نورٍ كَلَمعِ البَرقِ لَمّاحِ

شُعاعَ نورٍ كَلَمعِ البَرقِ لَمّاحِ

The suns reveal, when water mingles with it,

The suns reveal, when the water mixes with them,

Revealing suns whenever water mingles there,

A ray of light, flashing like a gleam of lightning.

A ray of light like the flash of lightning when it flickers.

A ray of light like flashing lightning, bright and sharp.