قُل لِلعَذولِ بِحانَةِ الخَمّارِ

قُل لِلعَذولِ بِحانَةِ الخَمّارِ

وَالشُربُ عِندَ فَصاحَةِ الأَوتارِ

وَالشُربُ عِندَ فَصاحَةِ الأَوتارِ

Tell the reproacher in the wine-seller's tavern,

Tell the abstainer in the tavern

Tell the critic within the vintner's tavern,

While drinking to the eloquence of the strings:

And drinking during musical recitals

As we drink to the eloquence of lute strings,

إِنّي قَصَدتُ إِلى فَقيهٍ عالِمٍ

إِنّي قَصَدتُ إِلى فَقيهٍ عالِمٍ

مُتَنَسِّكٍ حَبرٍ مِنَ الأَحبارِ

مُتَنَسِّكٍ حَبرٍ مِنَ الأَحبارِ

I sought out a learned jurist,

That I went to a learned jurist

That I sought out a scholar of great learning,

An ascetic, a sage among sages,

A pious scholar of great knowledge

An ascetic, a master among the scribes,

مُتَعَمِّقٍ في دينِهِ مُتَفَقِّهٍ

مُتَعَمِّقٍ في دينِهِ مُتَفَقِّهٍ

مُتَبَصِّرٍ في العِلمِ وَالأَخبارِ

مُتَبَصِّرٍ في العِلمِ وَالأَخبارِ

Deeply immersed in his religion, versed in religious law,

Deeply versed in his religion, jurisprudent

Deeply versed in his faith and jurisprudence,

Discerning in learning and transmitted accounts.

Insightful in science and news

Insightful in science and ancient lore.

قُلتُ النَبيذُ تُحِلُّهُ فَأَجابَ لا

قُلتُ النَبيذُ تُحِلُّهُ فَأَجابَ لا

إِلّا عُقاراً تَرتَمي بِشَرارِ

إِلّا عُقاراً تَرتَمي بِشَرارِ

I said, 'Fermented drink—do you permit it?' He answered, 'No,

I asked, "Is wine permissible?" He answered "No,

I asked, "Is date-wine lawful?" He answered, "No,

Except wine that shoots out sparks.'

Except a bubbling liquor that erupts in flames."

Save for the vintage grape that sparks with fire."

قُلتُ الصَلاةُ فَقالَ فَرضٌ واجِبٌ

قُلتُ الصَلاةُ فَقالَ فَرضٌ واجِبٌ

صَلِّ الصَلاةَ وَبِت حَليفَ عُقارِ

صَلِّ الصَلاةَ وَبِت حَليفَ عُقارِ

I said, 'Prayer?' He said, 'An obligatory duty.

I asked about prayer, he said it's obligatory

I asked of prayer; he said, "A binding duty:

Offer the prayer, and spend the night as wine's ally.

"Pray the prayers and spend nights with liquor as a companion."

Pray your prayers, then spend the night with wine.

اِجمَع عَلَيكَ صَلاةَ حَولٍ كامِلٍ

اِجمَع عَلَيكَ صَلاةَ حَولٍ كامِلٍ

مِن فَرضِ لَيلٍ فَاِقضِهِ بِنَهارِ

مِن فَرضِ لَيلٍ فَاِقضِهِ بِنَهارِ

Accumulate a whole year's prayers upon yourself,

Gather in yourself the prayers of a full year

Gather upon yourself the prayers of a whole year,

Of those prescribed at night, then make them up by day.'

And fulfill the obligatory night prayers by day.

Take the night's duties and pay them off by day."

قُلتُ الصِيامَ فَقالَ لي لا تَنوِهِ

قُلتُ الصِيامَ فَقالَ لي لا تَنوِهِ

وَاِشدُد عُرى الإِفطارِ بِالإِفطارِ

وَاِشدُد عُرى الإِفطارِ بِالإِفطارِ

I said, 'Fasting?' He told me, 'Do not intend it,

I asked about fasting, he said "Don't overdo it

I asked of fasting; he said, "Make no vow,

And tighten the bonds of breaking the fast by breaking it.'

And strengthen the breaking of the fast with more breaking."

And bind one broken fast tightly to the next."

قُلتُ التَصَدُّقُ وَالزَكاةُ فَقالَ لي

قُلتُ التَصَدُّقُ وَالزَكاةُ فَقالَ لي

شَيءٌ يُعَدُّ لآلةِ الشُطّارِ

شَيءٌ يُعَدُّ لآلةِ الشُطّارِ

I said, 'Charitable giving and obligatory alms?' He told me,

I asked about alms and zakat, he told me

I asked of alms and charity; he told me,

'Something set aside for the rogues' equipment.'

"It's something prepared for the equipment of raiders."

"Something fit only for the tools of scoundrels."

قُلتُ المَناسِكُ إِن حَجَجتُ فَقالَ لي

قُلتُ المَناسِكُ إِن حَجَجتُ فَقالَ لي

هَذا الفُضولُ وَغايَةُ الإِدبارِ

هَذا الفُضولُ وَغايَةُ الإِدبارِ

I said, 'The rites, if I make the pilgrimage?' He told me,

I asked about the rites if I make hajj, he told me

I asked of rituals, should I make the Hajj? He said,

'That is needless excess and the height of ill fortune.

"This is superfluous and the utmost waste."

"That is mere meddling and the height of ruin.

لا تَأتِيَنَّ بِلادَ مَكَّةَ مُحرِماً

لا تَأتِيَنَّ بِلادَ مَكَّةَ مُحرِماً

وَلَوَ اَنَّ مَكَّةَ عِندَ بابِ الدارِ

وَلَوَ اَنَّ مَكَّةَ عِندَ بابِ الدارِ

Never enter Mecca's lands consecrated as a pilgrim,

"Do not come to Mecca's lands in pilgrim's garb

Do not approach the lands of Mecca as a pilgrim,

Even if Mecca were at the house's door.'

Even if Mecca were at your door."

Even if Mecca stood at the door of your house."

قُلتُ الطُغاةُ فَقالَ لي لا تَغزُهُم

قُلتُ الطُغاةُ فَقالَ لي لا تَغزُهُم

وَلَوَ اَنَّهُم قَرُبوا مِنَ الأَنبارِ

وَلَوَ اَنَّهُم قَرُبوا مِنَ الأَنبارِ

I said, 'The tyrants?' He told me, 'Do not raid them,

I said "The tyrants..." He said "Don't fight them

I asked of invaders; he said, "Do not fight them,

Even if they drew near to al-Anbar.

Even if they were near Al-Anbar."

Even if they march near the walls of Al-Anbar.

سالِمهُمُ وَاِقتَصَّ مِن أَولادِهِم

سالِمهُمُ وَاِقتَصَّ مِن أَولادِهِم

إِن كُنتَ ذا حَنَقٍ عَلى الكُفّارِ

إِن كُنتَ ذا حَنَقٍ عَلى الكُفّارِ

Make peace with them, and exact vengeance on their offspring,

"Make peace with them, and take vengeance on their children

Make peace with them, but take revenge on their children,

If you harbor rage against the unbelievers.

If you harbor resentment against the infidels."

If you hold anger against the infidels.

وَاِطعَن بِرُمحِكَ بَطنَ تِلكَ وَظَهرَ ذا

وَاِطعَن بِرُمحِكَ بَطنَ تِلكَ وَظَهرَ ذا

هَذا الجِهادُ فَنِعمَ عُقبى الدارِ

هَذا الجِهادُ فَنِعمَ عُقبى الدارِ

And thrust your spear into that woman's belly and this man's back:

"And stab with your spear the belly of this one and the back of that

Thrust your spear into her belly, and into his back;

This is holy war—what an excellent final abode!'

This is the true jihad, so excellent is the reward."

This is the Jihad—and what an excellent afterlife!"

قُلتُ الأَمانَةُ هَل تُرَدُّ فَقالَ لي

قُلتُ الأَمانَةُ هَل تُرَدُّ فَقالَ لي

لا تَردُدِ القِطميرَ مِن قِنطارِ

لا تَردُدِ القِطميرَ مِن قِنطارِ

I said, 'Must entrusted property be returned?' He told me,

I asked, "Should entrusted goods be returned?" He said to me

I asked, "Must a trust be returned?" He told me,

'Do not return even a date-stone's skin from a hundredweight—

"Do not return an ounce of a quintar."

"Return not a speck of a hoard of gold.

لا هُمَّ إِلّا أَن تَكونَ مُضَمِّناً

لا هُمَّ إِلّا أَن تَكونَ مُضَمِّناً

دَيناً لِصاحِبِ حانَةٍ خَمّارِ

دَيناً لِصاحِبِ حانَةٍ خَمّارِ

Unless, O God, you are guaranteeing

"Just ensure you're not holding

Unless, by God, you are securing

A debt to a tavern-owner, a wine-seller.

A debt to the owner of a wineshop."

A debt owed to the keeper of a tavern.

فَاِردُد أَمانَتَهُ عَلَيهِ وَدَينَهُ

فَاِردُد أَمانَتَهُ عَلَيهِ وَدَينَهُ

وَاِحتَل لِذاكَ وَلَو بِبَيعِ إِزارِ

وَاِحتَل لِذاكَ وَلَو بِبَيعِ إِزارِ

Then return his entrusted property to him, and repay the debt owed him,

"Return his entrusted goods and his debt to him

Then pay him back his trust and his debt,

And contrive to do so, even by selling a waistcloth.'

And manage that even by selling your loincloth."

Scheme for it, even if you must sell your cloak."

قُلتُ اِعتَزَمتُ فَما تَرى في عازِبٍ

قُلتُ اِعتَزَمتُ فَما تَرى في عازِبٍ

مُتَغَرِّبٍ مُتَقارِبِ الأَسفارِ

مُتَغَرِّبٍ مُتَقارِبِ الأَسفارِ

I said, 'I have made up my mind; what do you think of a bachelor,

I said "I intend to remain single, what do you think

I said, "I am resolved; what say you of a bachelor,

Far from home, with journeys close together?'

Of an unmarried wanderer travelling the lands?"

An estranged wanderer, constantly on the road?"

فَأَجابَني لَكَ أَن تَلَذَّ بِزَنيَةٍ

فَأَجابَني لَكَ أَن تَلَذَّ بِزَنيَةٍ

مِن جارَةٍ وَتَلوطَ بِاِبنِ الجارِ

مِن جارَةٍ وَتَلوطَ بِاِبنِ الجارِ

He answered me, 'You may take pleasure in illicit sex

He answered me, "It's good for you to enjoy

He answered, "You are free to enjoy the neighbor's wife,

With a female neighbor, and sodomize the neighbor's son.'

A neighbor's wife, and lie with the neighbor's son."

And to lie with the neighbor's son."

وَدَنا إِلَيَّ وَقالَ نُصحُكَ واجِبٌ

وَدَنا إِلَيَّ وَقالَ نُصحُكَ واجِبٌ

زَيِّن خِصالَكَ هَذِهِ بِقِمارِ

زَيِّن خِصالَكَ هَذِهِ بِقِمارِ

And he drew near to me and said, 'Advising you is a duty:

He drew near me and said "I must advise you -

He drew near and said, "Good counsel is a duty:

Adorn these traits of yours with gambling.'

Adorn yourself with these traits along with gambling."

Crown these virtues of yours with gambling."