وَمُستَرَقِ النُخامَةِ مُستَكينٍ

وَمُستَرَقِ النُخامَةِ مُستَكينٍ

لِوَقعِ الكَأسِ يومِئُ بِالبَنانِ

لِوَقعِ الكَأسِ يومِئُ بِالبَنانِ

And a man with thin phlegm, subdued

With furtive sips the tippler sighs,

By the cup's force, gesturing with his fingertips—

As goblets' clink his thoughts supplies;

حَلَفتُ لَهُ بِما أَهدَت قُرَيشٌ

حَلَفتُ لَهُ بِما أَهدَت قُرَيشٌ

وَكُلِّ مُشَعشَعٍ في الجَوفِ آني

وَكُلِّ مُشَعشَعٍ في الجَوفِ آني

I swore to him by what Quraysh offered,

To thee I swore by gifts bestowed,

And by every diluted wine grown hot within the belly:

By Kureysh, and each vessel stowed

لَتَصطَبِحَن وَلَو أَعرَضتَ عَنها

لَتَصطَبِحَن وَلَو أَعرَضتَ عَنها

وَلَو أَنّي بِعَقوَتِهِ سَقاني

وَلَو أَنّي بِعَقوَتِهِ سَقاني

You shall surely drink in the morning, even if you turn away from it,

Within my frame, replenished o'er;

And even if he had served me drink in his courtyard.

Thou should'st be mine though spurned before.

فَطافَت طَوفَتَينِ فَكادَ يَحيا

فَطافَت طَوفَتَينِ فَكادَ يَحيا

وَدَبَّت في المَفاصِلِ وَاللِسانِ

وَدَبَّت في المَفاصِلِ وَاللِسانِ

Then it went round twice, and he nearly came to life,

Twice she circled round me, life almost fled,

And it crept through his joints and tongue.

And sense and utterance nearly fled.

فَلَم أَعرِف أَخي حَتّى اِصطَبَحنا

فَلَم أَعرِف أَخي حَتّى اِصطَبَحنا

ثَلاثاً فَاِنبَرى خَذِمَ العِنانِ

ثَلاثاً فَاِنبَرى خَذِمَ العِنانِ

So I did not recognize my brother until we drank in the morning

I knew not aught till in the morn we woke,

Three cups; then he sprang forth, snapping the reins.

And then my friend the flagon freely took.