يُحَرِّمُ شُربها غاوٍ رآني

يُحَرِّمُ شُربها غاوٍ رآني

أَخا شَيْبٍ فقلتُ الآنَ حَلاَّ

أَخا شَيْبٍ فقلتُ الآنَ حَلاَّ

A misguided man forbids drinking it, having seen me

A misguided fanatic prohibits drinking it

Gray-haired; so I said, “Now it is lawful.”

Though now, brother to gray hair, I say it's permitted

تَنَحَّ فإنّهُ صِبْغُ اللّيالي

تَنَحَّ فإنّهُ صِبْغُ اللّيالي

وحَلْيُ الرَّأْيِ رُحْتُ بِهِ مُحَلّى

وحَلْيُ الرَّأْيِ رُحْتُ بِهِ مُحَلّى

Stand aside, for it is the dye of nights,

Turn aside, for it's the dye of nights

And the adornment of judgment; I went adorned with it.

And the ornament of reason - with it I'm adorned

رأيتُ النّاسَ أكثرهم

رأيتُ النّاسَ أكثرهم

فلَمْ أَحفلْ بهم جَهْلاً وغفلاَ

فلَمْ أَحفلْ بهم جَهْلاً وغفلاَ

I saw people, most of them,

I've seen most people

So I paid them no heed—ignorant and heedless.

And paid them no heed, ignorant and oblivious they were