غَدوتُ عَلى حالٍ وَرُحتُ إِلى الكاسِ

غَدوتُ عَلى حالٍ وَرُحتُ إِلى الكاسِ

وَلَم أَرَ فيما تَشتَهي النَفسُ مِن باسِ

وَلَم أَرَ فيما تَشتَهي النَفسُ مِن باسِ

I set out in the morning in one state, and in the evening went to the cup.

I rose in a state and went to the cup,

And I saw no harm in what the soul desires.

Yet I saw not in what the soul desires from the cup.

وَمُشتَبِهٍ بِالبَدرِ في أَعيُنِ الوَرى

وَمُشتَبِهٍ بِالبَدرِ في أَعيُنِ الوَرى

مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ أَملَحُ الناسِ

مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ أَملَحُ الناسِ

And one resembling the full moon in people's eyes,

And one resembling the full moon in the eyes of people,

A man—yet the most charming of all men.

Except that he is the most witty of people.

سَقانِيَ خَمراً مِن يَدَيهِ وَريقِهِ

سَقانِيَ خَمراً مِن يَدَيهِ وَريقِهِ

فَأَسكَرَني سُكرَينِ مِن دونِ جُلّاسي

فَأَسكَرَني سُكرَينِ مِن دونِ جُلّاسي

He gave me wine to drink from his hands and his saliva,

He gave me wine from his hand and saliva,

So he made me doubly drunk, unlike my drinking companions.

So it intoxicated me with two intoxications without a cupbearer.

إِذا جادَ لي عِندَ الخَلاصِ بِقُبلَةٍ

إِذا جادَ لي عِندَ الخَلاصِ بِقُبلَةٍ

وَجَدتُ بِها بَرداً عَلى حَرِّ أَنفاسي

وَجَدتُ بِها بَرداً عَلى حَرِّ أَنفاسي

Whenever, at parting, he generously grants me a kiss,

When he is generous to me at the end with a kiss,

I find in it coolness against the heat of my breath.

I find in it coolness for the heat of my breath.

فَكَم مِن نَديمٍ لي نَديمٍ إِلى الكَرى

فَكَم مِن نَديمٍ لي نَديمٍ إِلى الكَرى

وَكَم مِن نَديمٍ قَد سَبَقتُ إِلى الكاسِ

وَكَم مِن نَديمٍ قَد سَبَقتُ إِلى الكاسِ

So many a drinking companion of mine keeps company with sleep,

So how many a boon companion do I have, a boon companion to the grave,

And many a drinking companion have I beaten to the cup.

And how many a boon companion whom I preceded to the cup.