هاتَbring it اِسقِنيgive me a drink بِالقَدَحِin the goblet الكَبيرِlarge
هاتَ اِسقِني بِالقَدَحِ الكَبيرِ
صَفراءَyellow لَونَthe color of الذَهَبِgold المَصهورِmolten
صَفراءَ لَونَ الذَهَبِ المَصهورِ
Bring it; pour me a drink in the large goblet,
Come, serve me drink from the mighty goblet,
Yellow, the color of molten gold,
Golden-hued, like the color of molten gold,
كَأَنَّهاas though it were فيin أَكأُسِcups of البَلّورِcrystal
كَأَنَّها في أَكأُسِ البَلّورِ
شُعلَةُa flame of نارٍfire فيin بَقاياremnants of نورِlight
شُعلَةُ نارٍ في بَقايا نورِ
As though, in crystal cups, it were
As though she, within cups of crystal,
A flame of fire amid remnants of light.
Is a flame of fire amidst lingering light.
عَجِبتُI marveled لِلكَأسِat the cup الَّتيthat تَحويهاholds it
عَجِبتُ لِلكَأسِ الَّتي تَحويها
كَيفَhow اِستَقَرَّتit stayed still وَالحَياةُwhile life فيهاwithin it
كَيفَ اِستَقَرَّت وَالحَياةُ فيها
I marveled at the cup that holds it—
I marveled at the cup that contains her,
How could it stay still, with life inside it?
How it remained still while life dwells within;
لَوif لَمdid not يُدِرهاpass it round بَينّاamong us ساقيهاits cupbearer
لَو لَم يُدِرها بَينّا ساقيها
دارَتit would go round عَلىamong القَومِthe company بِلاwithout مُديرِone to pass it round
دارَت عَلى القَومِ بِلا مُديرِ
If its cupbearer did not pass it among us,
Had her cupbearer not circulated her amongst us,
It would go round the company with no one to pass it.
She would have circled the gathering without a guide.
هاتَbring it اِسقِنيهاgive it to me to drink مِثلَlike عَينِthe eye of الديكِthe rooster
هاتَ اِسقِنيها مِثلَ عَينِ الديكِ
صافِيَةًclear تَنهَضُlifts up بِالصُعلوكِthe pauper
صافِيَةً تَنهَضُ بِالصُعلوكِ
Bring it; pour it for me, like a rooster's eye,
Come, serve her to me—sparkling like the rooster's eye,
Clear, it lifts the pauper up,
Pure and clear, uplifting the destitute soul,
حَتّىuntil يَرىhe sees التيهَpride عَلىover المُلوكِkings
حَتّى يَرى التيهَ عَلى المُلوكِ
وَلاand does not يُباليcare about سَطَوَةَthe power of الأَميرِthe prince
وَلا يُبالي سَطَوَةَ الأَميرِ
Till he looks down proudly on kings
Until he perceives himself grander than kings,
And cares nothing for the prince's power.
And heeds not the authority of the prince.
بِنتُdaughter لدَواليof the grapevines ضَرَّةَco-wife or rival of الرُضابِsweet saliva
بِنتُ لدَوالي ضَرَّةَ الرُضابِ
أُختَsister of التَصافيsincere friendship زَوجَةَwife of السَحابِthe clouds
أُختَ التَصافي زَوجَةَ السَحابِ
Daughter of the vines, rival to the lips' sweet moisture,
Daughter of the vines, rival to the sweetness of a kiss,
Sister of friendship, wife of the clouds,
Sister of sincere friendship, bride of the rain clouds.
أَنتyou وَإِنand though لامَreproached الوَرىmankind شَرابيmy drink
أَنت وَإِن لامَ الوَرى شَرابي
فيin الخالِدينَthe undying ones القَرbitter cold وَالهَجيرِand scorching midday heat
في الخالِدينَ القَر وَالهَجيرِ
You are my drink, though mankind reproach me,
You are my drink, even if the world casts blame,
Through the undying pair—cold and scorching heat.
Through the enduring cycles of biting cold and scorching heat.
أَشرَبُهاI drink it بَلrather أَشرَبُI drink الإِكسيراthe elixir
أَشرَبُها بَل أَشرَبُ الإِكسيرا
تَخلُقُit creates فيin شارِبِهاits drinker السُروراjoy
تَخلُقُ في شارِبِها السُرورا
I drink it—rather, I drink the elixir;
I drink her—nay, rather I drink the elixir of life;
It creates joy in whoever drinks it.
She creates pure delight within the one who imbibes.
فَقُلso say لِمَنto whoever يَحسَبُهاconsiders it غُروراan illusion
فَقُل لِمَن يَحسَبُها غُرورا
ماnot العَيشُlife إِلّاexcept ساعَةan hour of الغُرورِillusion
ما العَيشُ إِلّا ساعَة الغُرورِ
So tell whoever considers it an illusion:
So say to the one who deems her a mere delusion:
Life is but an hour of illusion.
What is life, but a fleeting hour of delusion?
Sol 6.1