نَبَّهتُ نُدماني فَهَبّا

نَبَّهتُ نُدماني فَهَبّا

تَرَباً إِلى كاسي وَلَبّى

تَرَباً إِلى كاسي وَلَبّى

I roused my boon companion, and he sprang up;

I roused my drinking companion, and he sprang up,

Eager for my cup, he answered its call.

joyfully toward my cup, and answered my call.

نَشوانَ يَحكي مَيلُهُ

نَشوانَ يَحكي مَيلُهُ

غُصناً بِأَيدي الريحِ رَطبا

غُصناً بِأَيدي الريحِ رَطبا

Drunk, in his swaying he mimicked

Drunk, his swaying resembled

a fresh bough in the hands of the wind.

a supple branch in the wind’s hands.

ما زالَ يَصرَعُهُ الكَرى

ما زالَ يَصرَعُهُ الكَرى

وَأَذُبُّ النَومَ عَنهُ ذَبّا

وَأَذُبُّ النَومَ عَنهُ ذَبّا

Drowsiness kept casting him down,

Drowsiness kept laying him low,

and I beat sleep back from him—beat it away.

while I vigorously drove sleep away from him.

وَسَقَيتُهُ كَأساً عَلى

وَسَقَيتُهُ كَأساً عَلى

مَرَضِ الخُمارِ فَما تَأَبّى

مَرَضِ الخُمارِ فَما تَأَبّى

I gave him a cup to drink despite

And I gave him a cup to drink, despite

the sickness of his hangover; he did not refuse.

the sickness of his hangover; he did not refuse.

وَاللَيلُ مُسوَدُّ الذُرى

وَاللَيلُ مُسوَدُّ الذُرى

وَالصُبحُ زادَ صِباً وَشَبّا

وَالصُبحُ زادَ صِباً وَشَبّا

Night’s heights were blackened,

And night was black along its peaks,

while dawn gained youth and blazed into life.

while dawn grew in youth and came of age.