قَد عَرَفنا دَلائِلَ المَنعِ أَو ما

قَد عَرَفنا دَلائِلَ المَنعِ أَو ما

يُشبِهُ المَنعَ بِاِحتِباسِ الرَسولِ

يُشبِهُ المَنعَ بِاِحتِباسِ الرَسولِ

We have recognized the signs of withholding, or what

We have known the signs of denial, or what

resembles withholding, in the messenger's delay.

Resembles denial in the absence of the messenger

وَاِفتَضَحنا عِندَ الزَبيبِ بِما صَح

وَاِفتَضَحنا عِندَ الزَبيبِ بِما صَح

حَ لَدَيهِ مِن قُبحِ وَجهِ الشَمولِ

حَ لَدَيهِ مِن قُبحِ وَجهِ الشَمولِ

And we were shamed before the raisins by what became

And we were exposed at the raisins by what was

clear to them of the ugliness of wine's face.

Sound to it of vileness and the face of inclusion

فاجَأَتنا كَدراءُ لَم تُسبَ مِن تَس

فاجَأَتنا كَدراءُ لَم تُسبَ مِن تَس

نيمِ جِريالُها وَلا سَلسَبيلِ

نيمِ جِريالُها وَلا سَلسَبيلِ

A turbid wine surprised us; its crimson was not carried off

So we were surprised by turbid wines that were not described as

from Tasnim, nor from Salsabil.

Tainted from their pouring or smooth-flowing

مِن عُقارٍ لا ريحُها نَفحَةُ المِس

مِن عُقارٍ لا ريحُها نَفحَةُ المِس

كِ وَلا خَدُّها بِخَدٍّ أَسيلِ

كِ وَلا خَدُّها بِخَدٍّ أَسيلِ

A wine whose scent is no waft of

Of nectar whose scent is not the breath of musk

musk, nor is its cheek a smooth cheek.

Nor its cheek a soft smooth cheek

لا تَهَدّى سُبلَ العُروقِ وَلا تَن

لا تَهَدّى سُبلَ العُروقِ وَلا تَن

سلُّ في مِفصَلٍ بِغَيرِ دَليلِ

سلُّ في مِفصَلٍ بِغَيرِ دَليلِ

It cannot find the pathways of the veins, nor slip

It neither mellows the paths of veins nor seeps

into a joint without a guide.

Through a joint without a guide

وَهيَ نَزرٌ لَو أَنَّها مِن دُموعِ ال

وَهيَ نَزرٌ لَو أَنَّها مِن دُموعِ ال

صبِّ لَم تَشفِ مِنهُ حَرَّ الغَليلِ

صبِّ لَم تَشفِ مِنهُ حَرَّ الغَليلِ

And it is scant: were it the tears of

And it is a sprinkling that if it were from the tears

a lovesick man, it would not quench his burning thirst.

Of sorrow, would not quench the heat of anguish

وَكَأَنَّ الأَنامِلَ اِعتَصَرَتها

وَكَأَنَّ الأَنامِلَ اِعتَصَرَتها

بَعدَ كَدٍّ مِن ماءِ وَجهِ البَخيلِ

بَعدَ كَدٍّ مِن ماءِ وَجهِ البَخيلِ

And it is as though fingertips had squeezed it out

And as if the fingers had wrung it out

after much toil, from the moisture of a miser's face.

After toil from the water of a miserly face

إِحتِساباً بَذَلتَها أَم تَصَدَّق

إِحتِساباً بَذَلتَها أَم تَصَدَّق

تَ بِها رَحمَةً عَلى اِبنِ السَبيلِ

تَ بِها رَحمَةً عَلى اِبنِ السَبيلِ

Did you give it seeking divine reward, or bestow

In pious devotion it offered it or donated it

it in charity, out of mercy for a wayfarer?

In charity to the son of the path

قَد كَتَبنا لَكَ الأَمانَ فَما تُس

قَد كَتَبنا لَكَ الأَمانَ فَما تُس

أَلُها عُمرَ ذا الزَمانِ الطَويلِ

أَلُها عُمرَ ذا الزَمانِ الطَويلِ

We have written you a pledge of safety: you will not be asked

We have written you security, so do not ask

for it throughout the span of this long age.

It for the age of this long time

كَم مُغَطّى قَدِ اِختَبَرنا نَداهُ

كَم مُغَطّى قَدِ اِختَبَرنا نَداهُ

وَاِعتَبَرنا كَثيرَهُ بِالقَليلِ

وَاِعتَبَرنا كَثيرَهُ بِالقَليلِ

Many a veiled man's bounty have we tested,

How many covers we have tested its call

and gauged his plenty by his little.

And learned much of it with little