وَفِتيانِ أُنسٍ أَقسَموا أَن يُبَدِّدوا

وَفِتيانِ أُنسٍ أَقسَموا أَن يُبَدِّدوا

جُيوشَ الدُجى ما بَينَ أُنسٍ وَأَفراحِ

جُيوشَ الدُجى ما بَينَ أُنسٍ وَأَفراحِ

And convivial youths swore to scatter

Youthful friends swore to dispel

The armies of darkness amid fellowship and joy.

The armies of gloom between joy and delight

فَهُبّوا إِلى خَمّارَةٍ قيلَ إِنَّها

فَهُبّوا إِلى خَمّارَةٍ قيلَ إِنَّها

قَعيدَةُ خَمرٍ تَمزُجُ الروحَ بِالراحِ

قَعيدَةُ خَمرٍ تَمزُجُ الروحَ بِالراحِ

So they rushed to a wine-seller, said to be

So they hastened to a tavern, it was said

A companion of wine, blending the soul with wine.

It is a resting place for wine that blends the soul with ease

وَقالوا لَها إِنّا أَتَينا عَلى ظَماً

وَقالوا لَها إِنّا أَتَينا عَلى ظَماً

نُحاوِلُ وِردَ الراحِ رَغماً عَنِ اللاحي

نُحاوِلُ وِردَ الراحِ رَغماً عَنِ اللاحي

And they said to her, “Indeed, we have come thirsty,

And they said we have come determined

Seeking to drink wine, in defiance of the reprover.”

To attain comfort despite the flashing swords

فَقامَت وَفي أَجفانِها كَسَلُ الكَرى

فَقامَت وَفي أَجفانِها كَسَلُ الكَرى

وَفي رِدفِها وَاِستَعرَضَت جَيشَ أَقداحِ

وَفي رِدفِها وَاِستَعرَضَت جَيشَ أَقداحِ

Then she rose—with sleep's languor in her eyelids

She rose with weariness in her eyelids

And in her haunches—and reviewed an army of goblets.

And on her hips she paraded an army of goblets