عَجِبتُI marveled القَومَthe people جَنَّبوthey shunned ثَمَنَthe price of الغِناsinging
عَجِبتُ القَومَ جَنَّبو ثَمَنَ الغِنا
وَقَدand indeed شَرِبواthey drank كاساتِهِمtheir cups بِدُيونِon credit
وَقَد شَرِبوا كاساتِهِم بِدُيونِ
I marveled at the people who shunned the fee for singing,
I wondered at people who avoided the price of song
though they drank their cups on credit.
Yet drank their cups through loans
وَأَفضَلُand better عِنديin my view مِنthan أَكُفٍّhands تَداوَلَتpassed around
وَأَفضَلُ عِندي مِن أَكُفٍّ تَداوَلَت
سُلافَةَchoice wine خَمّارٍa wine seller أَكُفُّhands قُيونِsmiths
سُلافَةَ خَمّارٍ أَكُفُّ قُيونِ
And better, in my view, than hands that passed around
And better in my eyes than passed around palms
a wine seller’s choice wine are the hands of smiths.
Are the palms of a vintner's apprentice, calloused
يَقولونَthey say لَمdid not نَشرَبwe drink مَقالَa statement of تَكَذُّبٍlying
يَقولونَ لَم نَشرَب مَقالَ تَكَذُّبٍ
وَقَدand indeed شَهِدَتit bore witness فيin أَوجُهٍfaces وَعُيونِand eyes
وَقَد شَهِدَت في أَوجُهٍ وَعُيونِ
They say, “We have not drunk”—a lying claim—
They say, "We haven't drunk lies' talk,"
though the wine has borne witness in faces and eyes.
Yet it's witnessed in their faces and eyes
Sol 6.1