خُذا مِنَ العَيشِ فالأعمارُ فانيةٌ

خُذا مِنَ العَيشِ فالأعمارُ فانيةٌ

والدَّهْرُ مُنصَرِفٌ والعَيشُ مُنقَرِضُ

والدَّهْرُ مُنصَرِفٌ والعَيشُ مُنقَرِضُ

Take your share of life, you two, for lives are fleeting;

Take from life, for ages are fleeting,

And time is passing away, and life is coming to an end.

And time is turning, and life is fading.

في حاملِ الكأسِ من بَدْرِ الدُّجَى خَلَفٌ

في حاملِ الكأسِ من بَدْرِ الدُّجَى خَلَفٌ

وفي المُدامَةِ من شَمْسِ الضُّحَى عِوَضُ

وفي المُدامَةِ من شَمْسِ الضُّحَى عِوَضُ

In the cupbearer is a substitute for the full moon of night,

In the cup-bearer at dawn lingers

And in the wine, a replacement for the morning sun.

A replacement for the sun at noon.

كأنَّ نَجْمَ الثُّرَيَّا كَفُّ ذي كَرَمٍ

كأنَّ نَجْمَ الثُّرَيَّا كَفُّ ذي كَرَمٍ

مَبسوطَةٌ للعَطايا ليسَ تَنقَبِضُ

مَبسوطَةٌ للعَطايا ليسَ تَنقَبِضُ

The Pleiades are like a generous person's palm,

As though the Pleiades were the palm

Outstretched to bestow gifts, never closing.

Of a generous one, opened, not closed.

دارَتْ علينا كؤوسُ الخَمْرِ مُترَعَةً

دارَتْ علينا كؤوسُ الخَمْرِ مُترَعَةً

وللدُّجى عارِضٌ في الجَوِّ مُعتَرِضُ

وللدُّجى عارِضٌ في الجَوِّ مُعتَرِضُ

Brimming cups of wine went round among us,

The wine cups circled around us brimming,

And a cloud of darkness stretched across the sky,

And opposing the darkness, intercepting in the air.

حتَّى رَأَيتُ نُجومَ اللَّيلِ غائِرَةً

حتَّى رَأَيتُ نُجومَ اللَّيلِ غائِرَةً

كأنَّهُنَّ عيونٌ حَشْوُها رَمَضُ

كأنَّهُنَّ عيونٌ حَشْوُها رَمَضُ

Until I saw the stars of night sinking,

Until I saw the stars of night hidden

As though they were eyes filled with burning pain.

As though they were eyes filled with sleep.