سَقاني فأهلاً بالسقايةِ والساقي

سَقاني فأهلاً بالسقايةِ والساقي

سلافاً بها قامَ السرور على ساقِ

سلافاً بها قامَ السرور على ساقِ

He gave me drink—welcome to the pouring and the cupbearer!

You quenched my thirst, so welcome is the drink and the pourer

Pure wine, through which joy sprang to its feet.

With it, joy arose on the bough

ولا نُقلَ إلاَّ مِن بدائعِ حكمةٍ

ولا نُقلَ إلاَّ مِن بدائعِ حكمةٍ

ولا كأس من سُرورٍ وأوراقِ

ولا كأس من سُرورٍ وأوراقِ

And no accompaniment but marvels of wisdom,

And naught was conveyed but the masterpieces of wisdom

Nor any cup but one of joy and pages.

No cup of joy and tenderness

فقد أنشأت لي نشوةً بعد نشوةٍ

فقد أنشأت لي نشوةً بعد نشوةٍ

تَمُد بروحانيةٍ ذات أذواقِ

تَمُد بروحانيةٍ ذات أذواقِ

For it has stirred in me rapture after rapture,

For you have created for me rapture after rapture

Sustaining me with a spirituality rich in savor.

That flows with spirituality of diverse tastes

فمن خطِّها الفاني متاع لناظري

فمن خطِّها الفاني متاع لناظري

وسمعي وحظ الروح من حَظّها الباقي

وسمعي وحظ الروح من حَظّها الباقي

So its perishable script brings pleasure to my gaze

So from your line the fleeting is a provision for my sight

And my hearing; the soul's share comes from its enduring share.

And hearing, and my soul's share of it remains

أعادت شبابي بعدَ سبعين حِجَّةً

أعادت شبابي بعدَ سبعين حِجَّةً

فأثوابُهُ قر جُدِّدَت بعد إخلاقِ

فأثوابُهُ قر جُدِّدَت بعد إخلاقِ

It restored my youth after seventy years;

You restored my youth after seventy pilgrimages

So its garments were renewed after wearing out.

So its clothes were renewed after being worn

وما كنتُ يوماً للمدامة صاحباً

وما كنتُ يوماً للمدامة صاحباً

ولا قَبِلتُها قَطُّ نشأةُ أخلاقي

ولا قَبِلتُها قَطُّ نشأةُ أخلاقي

And never, for a single day, was I a companion to wine,

Never was I a companion of wine

Nor did I ever accept it as my character took shape.

Nor did intoxication suit my moral fiber

ولا خَالَطَت لحمي ولا مازجت دمي

ولا خَالَطَت لحمي ولا مازجت دمي

وقى شَرَّها مولاي فالشكر للواقي

وقى شَرَّها مولاي فالشكر للواقي

Nor did it mingle with my flesh or blend with my blood.

It did not mix with my flesh or mingle with my blood

My Lord warded off its harm; thanks, then, to the Protector.

My Master protected me from its harm, so thanks to the Protector

وهذا على عهدِ الشبابِ فكيفَ لِي

وهذا على عهدِ الشبابِ فكيفَ لِي

بها بعد ماءٍ للشبيبة مهراقِ

بها بعد ماءٍ للشبيبة مهراقِ

And that was in the days of youth—how, then, could I

This was in my youth, so how could it suit me

Have it after the water of youth has been spilled?

After water that quenched the thirst of adolescence

وشتان ما بينَ المدامين فاعتبِر

وشتان ما بينَ المدامين فاعتبِر

فكم بين إنجاح لسعي وإخفاق

فكم بين إنجاح لسعي وإخفاق

How far apart the two wines are—take heed!

There is a difference between wines, so ponder

For how wide the gulf between an endeavor's success and failure!

How much between attaining hopes and failing

فتلك تهادَى بينَ ظُلمٍ وظُلمَةٍ

فتلك تهادَى بينَ ظُلمٍ وظُلمَةٍ

وهذي تهادى بين نورٍ وإشراقِ

وهذي تهادى بين نورٍ وإشراقِ

For that one is passed around amid wrongdoing and darkness,

One meanders between darkness and gloom

While this one is passed around amid light and radiance.

While the other meanders between light and dawn

أيا علمَ الإحسان غيرَ منازع

أيا علمَ الإحسان غيرَ منازع

شهادةَ إجماعٍ عليها وإطباق

شهادةَ إجماعٍ عليها وإطباق

O undisputed banner of beneficence,

O science of benevolence, you have no rival

A testimony upheld by consensus and unanimous agreement:

The consensus agrees and comes together on you

قصائِدُكَ الحُسنَى عَلَيَّ تواترت

قصائِدُكَ الحُسنَى عَلَيَّ تواترت

بخمر من سُحبِ فِكرِكَ غيدَاقِ

بخمر من سُحبِ فِكرِكَ غيدَاقِ

Your beautiful poems have come to me in succession,

Your beautiful poems came to me in succession

With abundant wine from the clouds of your thought.

With wine from the drizzles of your thoughts' downpour

خزائنُ آدابٍ بَعَثتَ بشدُرِّها

خزائنُ آدابٍ بَعَثتَ بشدُرِّها

إلىّ ولم تمنُهن بخشية إنفاق

إلىّ ولم تمنُهن بخشية إنفاق

Treasuries of learning, whose pearls you sent

You sent forth treasures of literature to me

To me, without withholding them for fear of spending.

Without fear of spending them generously

ولا مثلَ بِكرٍ حُرَّةٍ عربيّةٍ

ولا مثلَ بِكرٍ حُرَّةٍ عربيّةٍ

زكيَّة أخلاقٍ كريمةٍ أعراقِ

زكيَّة أخلاقٍ كريمةٍ أعراقِ

And nothing equals a freeborn Arab maiden,

None compares to you, a pure Arabian filly

Pure in character, noble in lineage.

Of noble character and esteemed lineage

فاقسمُ ما البيضُ الحسانُ تَبَرَّجت

فاقسمُ ما البيضُ الحسانُ تَبَرَّجت

تناجيكَ سِراً بين وحي وإطراقِ

تناجيكَ سِراً بين وحي وإطراقِ

So I swear: no fair beauties displaying their charms,

So tell me, what are these kind eggs that hatched

Whispering secretly to you between hints and lowered glances,

Whispering secrets between inspiration and pause

بدورٌ بدت من أفق أطواقها على

بدورٌ بدت من أفق أطواقها على

رياض تَبَدَّت في قضبة ذات أطواق

رياض تَبَدَّت في قضبة ذات أطواق

Full moons rising from the horizon of their necklaces over

With rooms that appeared on the horizon of their orbits

Gardens revealed in a necklace-bearing bough,

Onto gardens that bloomed on a branched expanse

فناظر منها الأقحوان ثغورها

فناظر منها الأقحوان ثغورها

وقابل منها نرجس سحر أحداقِ

وقابل منها نرجس سحر أحداقِ

With daisies matching their mouths,

From it, apple trees saw their breaches

And narcissus matching their eyes' enchantment,

And narcissus met the spell of fluttering eyelids

وناسب منها الوردُ خَداً مورّداً

وناسب منها الوردُ خَداً مورّداً

سقاه الشباب النَّضرُ بورك من ساقِ

سقاه الشباب النَّضرُ بورك من ساقِ

And the rose resembling their rosy cheek—

And roses suited a rosy cheek

Watered by fresh youth—blessed be such a cupbearer—

Watered by the fresh green of the bough

وألبسنَ من صنعاء وشياً مُنَمنَماً

وألبسنَ من صنعاء وشياً مُنَمنَماً

وحُلِّينَ من دُرٍّ نفائسَ أعلاقِ

وحُلِّينَ من دُرٍّ نفائسَ أعلاقِ

And clothed in finely patterned brocade from Sana'a,

They were adorned with the garb of Sanaa

And adorned with precious jewels of pearl,

And bejeweled with priceless necklaces

بأحلى لأفواهٍ وأبهى لأعينٍ

بأحلى لأفواهٍ وأبهى لأعينٍ

وَأجلَى لألبابٍ وَأشهَى لعشاقِ

وَأجلَى لألبابٍ وَأشهَى لعشاقِ

Are sweeter to mouths or lovelier to eyes,

With the sweetest for mouths and most wondrous for eyes

Or clearer to minds or more desired by lovers.

And clearest for minds and most delicious for lovers

رأيتُ بها شُهبَ السماء تَنَزَّلت

رأيتُ بها شُهبَ السماء تَنَزَّلت

إِليَّ تُحَيِّينِي تحيةَ مشتاقِ

إِليَّ تُحَيِّينِي تحيةَ مشتاقِ

In them I saw heaven's shooting stars descend

I saw the meteors of the sky descend to me

To me, greeting me with the greeting of one who longs.

Greeting me with the greeting of one longing

ألا إنَّ هذا السحرَ لا سحرَ بابل

ألا إنَّ هذا السحرَ لا سحرَ بابل

فقد سَحَرَت قَلبِي المُعَنَّى فَمَن راقِ

فقد سَحَرَت قَلبِي المُعَنَّى فَمَن راقِ

Behold, this is magic—not the magic of Babylon;

Verily this is no sorcery of Babylon

For they have bewitched my tormented heart—who can lift the spell?

For meaning has bewitched my heart, so who can heal

لقد أعجزت شكري فضائل ماجد

لقد أعجزت شكري فضائل ماجد

أبرِّ بأحبابِ وأوفَى بميثاقِ

أبرِّ بأحبابِ وأوفَى بميثاقِ

The virtues of a noble man have indeed made my thanks inadequate,

You have rendered my gratitude helpless, O Majid

Most devoted to loved ones and most faithful to a covenant.

Loyal to loved ones and true to your covenant

تقاضى ديون الشعر مني منبها

تقاضى ديون الشعر مني منبها

رويدك لا تعجل عليَّ بإرهاق

رويدك لا تعجل عليَّ بإرهاق

He called in my debts of verse, prompting me;

You claimed the debts of poetry from me, admonishing

Take your time; do not hurry to overburden me.

Gently, do not rush me with burden

فلو نُشِرَ الصادان من لحديهما

فلو نُشِرَ الصادان من لحديهما

لإنصافِ هذا الدَّينِ لاذا بإملاق

لإنصافِ هذا الدَّينِ لاذا بإملاق

For if the two Ṣāds were raised from their graves

If the two cisterns were spread from their burial

To do this debt justice, they would seek refuge in poverty.

To settle this debt, where could its equivalent be found

فلا زلتَ تُحيللمكارِمِ رَسمَهَا

فلا زلتَ تُحيللمكارِمِ رَسمَهَا

وقدرُكَ في أهلِ العُلاَ والنُّهَى راقِ

وقدرُكَ في أهلِ العُلاَ والنُّهَى راقِ

May you never cease to revive the traces of noble deeds,

You continue to beautify the ways of generosity

And may your rank among the eminent and wise keep rising.

And your worth among the virtuous is agreeable