الزِّقُthe wineskin مُلْكٌkingship لمنfor whoever كانhad لهit as his own
الزِّقُ مُلْكٌ لمن كان له
والمُلْكُand the kingship منهfrom it طويلlong وقَصيرْand short
والمُلْكُ منه طويل وقَصيرْ
The wineskin is a kingdom for whoever owns it,
Glory belongs to him who owns it
And the reign it brings is long or short.
And kingship from him is long and short
منهاfrom it الصَّبوحُthe morning draught الذيthat يترُكنيleaves me
منها الصَّبوحُ الذي يترُكني
ليثَa lion عِفرِّينʿIfirrīn والمالُand wealth كثِيرْabundant
ليثَ عِفرِّين والمالُ كثِيرْ
From it comes the morning draught that leaves me
Of it is the dawn which leaves me
A lion of ʿIfirrīn, with wealth abundant.
A roaring lion and much wealth
فأوَّلُso at the beginning of الليلِthe night لَيْثٌa lion خادِرٌlying in his lair
فأوَّلُ الليلِ لَيْثٌ خادِرٌ
وآخِرُand at the end of الليلِthe night ضِبْعانٌa male hyena عَثُورْprone to stumbling
وآخِرُ الليلِ ضِبْعانٌ عَثُورْ
So at night's beginning I am a lion in his lair,
So the first of the night is a sleepy lion
And at night's end, a stumbling male hyena.
And the last of the night is a clumsy hyena
قاتَلَكِmay He smite you اللّهGod منwhat a مشروبةٍdrink
قاتَلَكِ اللّه من مشروبةٍ
لوif only أنّthat ذاone possessing مرَّةٍstrength of will عنكِaway from you صَبُورْsteadfast in abstaining
لو أنّ ذا مرَّةٍ عنكِ صَبُورْ
God smite you—what a drink you are!
May God destroy you, o drinking cup
If only a man of resolve could abstain from you!
If only you could once refrain from me
Sol 6.1