الخَمرَ ما أَكرَمَ أَكفاءَها

الخَمرَ ما أَكرَمَ أَكفاءَها

فَأَبعِدِ الهَمَّ بإِدنائِها

فَأَبعِدِ الهَمَّ بإِدنائِها

Wine—how noble are those worthy of it!

Wine—how noble are those worthy of it!

So banish care by drawing it near.

So banish care by drawing it near.

وَهاتِها فالدِّيكُ مُستَيقظٌ

وَهاتِها فالدِّيكُ مُستَيقظٌ

وَالشُّهْبُ قد هَمَّت بإِغفائِها

وَالشُّهْبُ قد هَمَّت بإِغفائِها

Bring it—for the cock is awake,

And bring it, for the rooster is awake,

while the stars are on the verge of sleep.

And the stars are already poised for slumber.

وَاللَيلُ إِن وارَتكَ ظَلماؤُهُ

وَاللَيلُ إِن وارَتكَ ظَلماؤُهُ

فَالرَّاحُ تَجلوُهُ بِأَضوائِها

فَالرَّاحُ تَجلوُهُ بِأَضوائِها

And if the night conceals you in its darkness,

And if the night's darkness conceals you,

wine will dispel it with its radiance.

Then wine dispels it with its radiance.

تَرى عَلى الكأسِ إِذا صُفِّقَتْ

تَرى عَلى الكأسِ إِذا صُفِّقَتْ

وَالحَبَبُ الطَّافي بِأَرجائِها

وَالحَبَبُ الطَّافي بِأَرجائِها

You see upon the goblet, when it is shaken,

You see upon the cup, when the wine is decanted,

the bubbles floating around its edges:

With bubbles floating around its edges,

لآلِئاً في التِّبرِ مَغروسَةً

لآلِئاً في التِّبرِ مَغروسَةً

تَستَوقِفُ العَينَ بِلألائِها

تَستَوقِفُ العَينَ بِلألائِها

pearls embedded in gold,

Pearls embedded in raw gold,

arresting the eye with their gleam.

Holding the eye with their brilliance.

فَهيَ دواءُ النَّفسِ في شُربِها

فَهيَ دواءُ النَّفسِ في شُربِها

ما تَشتَهيهِ وَهيَ مِن دائِها

ما تَشتَهيهِ وَهيَ مِن دائِها

For in drinking it lies the soul’s medicine:

For it is the soul's remedy when the soul drinks

what it desires, though it is one of its maladies.

What it craves, though wine is part of its malady.