ياah ربّmany a مجلسgathering لذّةٍpleasure شاهَدتُهاI witnessed it
يا ربّ مجلس لذّةٍ شاهَدتُها
كَرْهاًunwillingly وجُنْحُand the darkness الليلِof night مدّspread جناحَاa wing
كَرْهاً وجُنْحُ الليلِ مدّ جناحَا
Ah, many a gathering of pleasure I witnessed
O Lord, I witnessed a gathering of pleasure
unwillingly, while night's darkness spread a wing.
Reluctantly, as night spread its wings
جَمَعَgathered الشبابُyouth بهin it بنيهِhis sons وبينهمand among them
جَمَعَ الشبابُ به بنيهِ وبينهم
شيخٌan old man غَداcame in the morning شيبٌgray hair عليهupon him وراحاand came in the evening
شيخٌ غَدا شيبٌ عليه وراحا
Youth gathered his sons there, and among them
The youth gathered with their sons
was an old man whom gray hair visited morning and evening.
An old man with white hair among them
وكأنّهand as though it فيin كلّevery داجيdark شعرةٍhair
وكأنّه في كلّ داجي شعرةٍ
فيin الرأسِthe head منهُof him مُوقِدٌkindling مِصباحاa lamp
في الرأسِ منهُ مُوقِدٌ مِصباحا
And it was as though, in every dark hair
As if every strand of white hair
on his head, it were kindling a lamp.
In his head was a lit lamp
أمسَيتُI reached evening مَفطوماًweaned عَنِfrom الكَأسِthe cup الَّتيwhich
أمسَيتُ مَفطوماً عَنِ الكَأسِ الَّتي
يتراضعُsuckle together الندمَاءُthe drinking companions منهاfrom it راحاwine
يتراضعُ الندمَاءُ منها راحا
By evening I was weaned from the cup from which
I was deprived of the cup
the drinking companions suckle wine together,
Which the remorseful sip from
إلّاexcept شميماًa whiff كانwas هَمّاًgrief سُكْرُهُits intoxication
إلّا شميماً كان هَمّاً سُكْرُهُ
وغناؤهُand its song فيin مسمعيmy ear نياحاlamentation
وغناؤهُ في مسمعي نياحا
except for a whiff whose intoxication was grief,
Except its aroma that was worrying intoxication
and its song in my ear was lamentation.
And its song sounding like weeping in my ears
جُرْناwe wronged علىagainst زمنِthe time الصباyouth الزَاهيradiant الَّذيwhich
جُرْنا على زمنِ الصبا الزَاهي الَّذي
عزَلَdeposed الهمومَcares ومَلّكَand enthroned الأفراحاjoys
عزَلَ الهمومَ ومَلّكَ الأفراحا
We wronged the radiant season of youth, which
We reminisced about the prime of youth
deposed cares and enthroned joys.
That dismissed worries and owned joys
أبناءُsons عصرٍan age فَتّقُواthey opened up منfrom بَينهمamong them
أبناءُ عصرٍ فَتّقُوا من بَينهم
مِسْكَmusk الشّبيبَةِyouth بالمُدامِwith wine ففاحاso it spread fragrance
مِسْكَ الشّبيبَةِ بالمُدامِ ففاحا
Sons of an age released among themselves
Sons of an era who excel among them
the musk of youth with wine, so its fragrance spread.
Inholding fast the wine glass, so it overflowed
جَعَلواthey made حُداءَهُمُtheir camel-driving chant السَماعَmusic وأَوجَفواand sent racing
جَعَلوا حُداءَهُمُ السَماعَ وأَوجَفوا
بدلَinstead of القَلائِصِyoung she-camels بينَهمamong them أَقداحاgoblets
بدلَ القَلائِصِ بينَهم أَقداحا
They made music their camel-driving chant and sent racing
They made their sharpness listening,
goblets among themselves instead of young she-camels.
And instead of daggers between them, goblets
وَكَأنّماand as though نَبَضَتْshot forth لهمfor them أَفواهُهُمtheir mouths
وَكَأنّما نَبَضَتْ لهم أَفواهُهُم
بِالشُربِthrough drinking مِنfrom أَجسامِهاtheir bodies أَرواحاsouls
بِالشُربِ مِن أَجسامِها أَرواحا
And it was as though their mouths shot forth for them,
As if their mouths pulsated for them
through drinking, souls from their bodies.
With drinking from their bodies, spirits
حَتّىuntil إذاwhen اصطَبَحواthey drank at dawn فررتُI fled فلمso did not يجِدfind
حَتّى إذا اصطَبَحوا فررتُ فلم يجِد
للشيبِfor gray hair بَينَهمُamong them الصباحُthe morning صَباحاa dawn
للشيبِ بَينَهمُ الصباحُ صَباحا
Until, when they drank at dawn, I fled; morning found no
Until when they woke up at dawn, I slipped away
dawn of gray hair among them.
And morning found no morning for old age among them
ماwhat ليfor me أُكافحُI fight face to face قِرْنَa rival كأسٍa cup جالَranged فيin
ما لي أُكافحُ قِرْنَ كأسٍ جالَ في
مَيدانِthe arena نشوَتهhis intoxication وجالand ranged كِفاحاin single combat
مَيدانِ نشوَته وجال كِفاحا
Why do I face a drinking rival who has ranged in
Why should I struggle against a generation
the arena of his intoxication and ranged in single combat?
That roamed the field of bliss and battled
ومجدَّلٌand felled شاكيfully armed السّلاحِweapons منfrom الصِّباyouth
ومجدَّلٌ شاكي السّلاحِ من الصِّبا
منhe whom لمdid not يُبَقّleave لهfor him المشيبُgray hair سِلاحاa weapon
من لم يُبَقّ له المشيبُ سِلاحا
And felled by one fully armed with youth
Decked out, complaining of arms
is he whom gray hair has left without a weapon.
For whom old age left no arms
Sol 6.1