إذاif كنتyou are ندمانيmy drinking companion فخذهاthen take it وسقّنيand give me a drink
إذا كنت ندماني فخذها وسقّني
ودعand leave عنكaway from you منwhoever رآكsaw you تكرعyou guzzle فيin الخمرwine
ودع عنك من رآك تكرع في الخمر
If you are my drinking companion, take it and pour me a drink,
If you regret me, then take me and water me,
And disregard whoever saw you guzzling wine.
And leave those who see you getting drunk on wine.
فإنيfor I امرؤٌa man لاnot أشربI drink الخمرwine فيin الدجاnight’s darkness
فإني امرؤٌ لا أشرب الخمر في الدجا
ولكننيbut I أحسوI sip النبيذnabidh, a steeped fruit drink منfrom التمرdates
ولكنني أحسو النبيذ من التمر
For I am a man who drinks no wine in night’s darkness,
For I am a man who does not drink wine in obscurity,
But I sip nabidh brewed from dates,
But I praise date wine openly.
حياًout of modesty وتقىand reverence للَهfor God واللَهand God عالمٌknows
حياً وتقى للَه واللَه عالمٌ
بكلof everything الذيthat نأتيهwe do it فيin السرsecret والجهرand openly
بكل الذي نأتيه في السر والجهر
Out of modesty and reverence for God—and God knows
Alive and God-fearing, for God knows
All that we do in secret and openly.
All that we do in secret and openly.
ومثلكand someone like you قدalready جرّبتهI tested him وخيرتُهand chose him
ومثلك قد جرّبته وخيرتُه
أباAbu, father of مطرMatar والحينwhile doom أسبابُهits causes تجريrun their course
أبا مطر والحين أسبابُه تجري
And one like you I have tested and chosen,
And one like you I have tried and chosen -
Abu Matar, while doom’s causes run their course.
Abu Matar - though now his means flow.
حساهاhe sipped it كمُستدمىlike blood drawn from الغزالِthe gazelle عتيقةًaged
حساها كمُستدمى الغزالِ عتيقةً
إذاwhen شعشعتit was diluted بالماءwith water طيبةsweet النشرِthe fragrance
إذا شعشعت بالماء طيبة النشرِ
He sipped it, well-aged, like blood drawn from a gazelle,
I sensed it was like preserving old gazelle musk
Sweetly fragrant when diluted with water.
When it is saturated with good distillation.
أقامhe remained عليهاwith it دهرهthroughout his lifetime كلّevery ليلةٍnight
أقام عليها دهره كلّ ليلةٍ
يشافههاhe puts his lips to it حتىuntil يرىhe sees وضحthe brightness of الفجرdawn
يشافهها حتى يرى وضح الفجر
He remained with it all his life, night after night,
He lingered over it each night
Putting his lips to it until he saw the brightness of dawn.
Sipping until dawn broke clearly.
فاصبحso by morning he became ميتاًdead ميتةthe death of الكلبa dog ضحكةًa laughingstock
فاصبح ميتاً ميتة الكلب ضحكةً
لاصحابهto his companions حتىuntil يُدَهدَهَhe is tumbled فيinto القبرِthe grave
لاصحابه حتى يُدَهدَهَ في القبرِ
So by morning he was dead—a dog’s death, a laughingstock
So he woke dead, a dog’s death, laughing
To his companions, until he was tumbled into the grave.
Stock for his friends until shoved into a grave.
فماso not إنemphatic particle بكاهwept for him غيرexcept دنٍّa wine jar ومزهرٍand a lute
فما إن بكاه غير دنٍّ ومزهرٍ
وغانيةٍand a beautiful woman كالبدرlike the full moon واضحةbright الثغرthe front teeth
وغانيةٍ كالبدر واضحة الثغر
None wept for him but a wine jar and a lute,
None wept for him but outcasts and songstresses
And a beauty like the full moon, with gleaming teeth,
Like the full moon with a clear mouth.
وباطيةٍand a wine bowl كانتit had been لهfor him خدنan intimate companion in زنيَةٍfornication
وباطيةٍ كانت له خدن زنيَةٍ
يعاقِرهاhe caroused with it والليلwhile the night معتكرdense and dark السترthe veil
يعاقِرها والليل معتكر الستر
And a wine bowl that had been his partner in illicit love,
And singing girls who were for him the teats of a whore
With which he caroused while night’s veil lay thick and dark.
He suckled while the night hid in its cover.
Sol 6.1