أيّwhat نعيمٍbliss فيin الصِّبَاyouth والمُقْتَرَحْand wished-for pleasures
أيّ نعيمٍ في الصِّبَا والمُقْتَرَحْ
وشغلُand occupying كفّيّmy two hands بكوبٍwith a cup وقَدَحْand a goblet
وشغلُ كفّيّ بكوبٍ وقَدَحْ
What bliss in youth and wished-for pleasures,
What bliss is there in youth and its offerings,
and in keeping my two hands busy with cup and goblet!
My hands busy with a cup and a flask.
فَلاso do not تَلُمنيblame me إنّنيindeed I مُغْتَنِمٌam seizing the chance
فَلا تَلُمني إنّني مُغْتَنِمٌ
مِنَof السّرورِjoy فيin زَمَانيmy time ماwhat مَنَحْit bestowed
مِنَ السّرورِ في زَمَاني ما مَنَحْ
So do not blame me: I am seizing
So do not blame me if I make the most
whatever joy my time has bestowed.
Of the joys my time grants in its stretch.
فإنّهُfor it مُسْتَرْجِعٌtakes back هِبَاتِهِits gifts
فإنّهُ مُسْتَرْجِعٌ هِبَاتِهِ
وباخلٌand begrudging مِنof الصِّباyouth بماwith what سَمَحit gave freely
وباخلٌ مِن الصِّبا بما سَمَح
For it takes back its gifts
For it takes back its gifts,
and grudges the youth it once gave freely.
And youth bids farewell with what it gave.
وَسَقِّنيand give me to drink منof قهوَةٍwine كاساتُهاits cups
وَسَقِّني من قهوَةٍ كاساتُها
تُسْرِجُkindle فيin الأيديthe hands مصابيحَthe lamps of الصّبحdawn
تُسْرِجُ في الأيدي مصابيحَ الصّبح
And pour me wine whose cups
Serve me coffee whose cups
kindle the lamps of dawn in the hands.
Light lanterns for the dawns to wave,
لوif شمَّهاhe smelled it صاحٍa sober man عَسيرٌdifficult سُكْرُهُhis intoxication
لو شمَّها صاحٍ عَسيرٌ سُكْرُهُ
تحتَbeneath لثامٍa veil فيwithin فدامٍa cloth cover لَطَفَحْhe would be utterly drunk
تحتَ لثامٍ في فدامٍ لَطَفَحْ
If a sober man slow to get drunk smelled it,
That if smelled by one drunk with woe
beneath a veil, through a cloth cover, he would be drunk to excess.
His inebriation would slip beneath the veil.
ولاand do not تسوّفْنيput me off إلىuntil ترويقهاits clarification
ولا تسوّفْني إلى ترويقها
لاdoes not يَشْتَويroast اللّيثُthe lion إذاwhen اللّيثُthe lion ذَبَحْhas slain
لا يَشْتَوي اللّيثُ إذا اللّيثُ ذَبَحْ
And do not put me off until it is clarified;
And do not delay in serving it to me,
a lion does not roast the prey a lion has slain.
The lion is not sated when the lion is slain.
حتىuntil أقولَI say زاحفاًcrawling منfrom نشوَتيmy drunken rapture
حتى أقولَ زاحفاً من نشوَتي
يَحْسُنُgrows finer بالتزحيفِthrough metrical variation بيتُa verse of المنسرحthe munsariḥ meter
يَحْسُنُ بالتزحيفِ بيتُ المنسرح
Till, crawling from my drunken rapture, I say:
Until I say, crawling with joy:
A munsariḥ verse grows finer through metrical variation.
It is fine to embellish with rhythm the unconfined verse,
ومالئٍand one filling زقّاًa wineskin وكاهُhe tied it shut مردياًslaying
ومالئٍ زقّاً وكاهُ مردياً
سمَّthe poison of الأسَىsorrow منهُfrom it بدُرْياقِwith the antidote of الفَرَحjoy
سمَّ الأسَى منهُ بدُرْياقِ الفَرَح
And one who filled and tied a wineskin, slaying
One filling his jug to the brim and he whose mouth overflows,
sorrow's poison with joy's antidote drawn from it;
Grief drinks its pure draught from him and is sated.
وجاثمٍand a crouching one بينamong النّدامَىthe drinking companions تَرْتَويare slaked
وجاثمٍ بين النّدامَى تَرْتَوي
أشباحُهُمْtheir bodies منهfrom it بماwith what يَرْوَىis slaked شَبَحa body
أشباحُهُمْ منه بما يَرْوَى شَبَح
and a wineskin crouched among the drinking companions, whose
And one sitting among the remorseful whose specters
bodies are slaked by it with what slakes a body;
Are revived by what revives specters.
كأنّماas though رَدّتْrestored عليهto it روحَهُits soul
كأنّما رَدّتْ عليه روحَهُ
سُلافَةُthe purest essence of الرّاحwine فإنthen if مُسّit is touched رمحit kicks
سُلافَةُ الرّاح فإن مُسّ رمح
as though its soul had been restored to it
As if his soul returned to him
by wine's purest essence: if touched, it kicks.
By the healing of the gentle wind, for if touched by a lance,
غضّfresh الصّباin youth كأنّماas though حديثهُhis speech
غضّ الصّبا كأنّما حديثهُ
يمازجُmingles النّفسَthe soul بأنفاسِwith breaths of الملحwit
يمازجُ النّفسَ بأنفاسِ الملح
A youth, fresh in his prime, whose speech seems
Youth sheds its bloom as if its talk
to mingle the soul with breaths of wit,
Mingled with the soul's breaths and salt.
حلّuntied وكاءًa binding cord شدّهُhe had fastened it عنoff مُدْمَجٍa tightly bound skin
حلّ وكاءً شدّهُ عن مُدْمَجٍ
طَلّwas shed unavenged دمthe blood of العنقودِthe grape-cluster منهfrom it وسفحand was spilled
طَلّ دم العنقودِ منه وسفح
loosened from a tightly bound skin the cord he had tied;
It fermented turbid froth, drawing it from sediment,
from it the grape-cluster's blood was shed unavenged and spilled.
The blood of grapes dripped from it and poured.
حتىuntil إذاwhen ماan emphatic particle صبّhe poured منهfrom it رَيّقاًclear wine
حتى إذا ما صبّ منه رَيّقاً
سدّhe sealed علىover ذَوْبِthe molten substance of العَقيقِcarnelian مَاwhat فتحhe had opened
سدّ على ذَوْبِ العَقيقِ مَا فتح
Then, once he had poured clear wine from it,
When it poured clear wine from it,
he sealed over the molten carnelian what he had opened.
It sealed the flaws of carnelian with what it opened.
ترَىyou see نجيعَthe dark blood of الزقّthe wineskin منهُfrom it راشحاًoozing
ترَى نجيعَ الزقّ منهُ راشحاً
كأنّهُas though it منfrom وَدَجِthe jugular vein of اللّيلِnight رَشَحoozed
كأنّهُ من وَدَجِ اللّيلِ رَشَح
You see the wineskin's blood oozing from it,
You see the sediment's lees pouring from it
as though it had oozed from night's jugular vein.
As if it dripped from the darkness of night.
مُدامَةٌwine للرّوحِto the soul أُخْتٌa sister بَرّةٌdevoted
مُدامَةٌ للرّوحِ أُخْتٌ بَرّةٌ
يَنْأىdraws away بهاthrough it سُرورُناour joy عنِfrom التَرَحgrief
يَنْأى بها سُرورُنا عنِ التَرَح
Wine, a devoted sister to the soul:
An inebriating drink, a pure sister
through it our joy draws far away from grief.
With which our joy avoids disquiet.
قدindeed عَلِمَتْit has learned مزاجَهُits temperament فَشُرْبُهاso drinking it
قد عَلِمَتْ مزاجَهُ فَشُرْبُها
يَجْرَحُهُwounds it ثُمّتَthen يَأسُوheals ماwhat جَرَحit wounded
يَجْرَحُهُ ثُمّتَ يَأسُو ما جَرَح
It knows the soul's temperament: drinking it
It knew its composition, so drinking it
wounds the soul, then heals what it has wounded.
Wounds, then its bitterness heals the wound.
وتجعلُand it turns القارَthe pitch الذيthat باشَرَهاtouched it
وتجعلُ القارَ الذي باشَرَها
فيin الدنّthe wine jar مسكاًinto musk للعرانينِto the noses نفحwafted fragrance
في الدنّ مسكاً للعرانينِ نفح
And it turns the pitch that touched it
It makes the nectar it touched
inside the jar into musk wafting to the nostrils.
In the vessels like musk to the maidens wafting.
يحجبblocks جسمُthe body of الكاسِthe cup منfrom سعيرِهاits fiery blaze
يحجب جسمُ الكاسِ من سعيرِها
نفحاًa hot blast عنfrom الكاسِthe cup ولولاهand without it نفحit would flare forth
نفحاً عن الكاسِ ولولاه نفح
The cup's body holds back a breath of its blaze
The body of the cup conceals its blaze
from escaping the cup; without it, that breath would flare.
A waft from the cup, without it a waft.
والشّمْسُand the sun منهاfrom it فيwithin نقابِa veil of غَيمِهاits clouds
والشّمْسُ منها في نقابِ غَيمِها
مخافةًfor fear منof نورهاits light أنthat تُفْتَضَحْit be put to shame
مخافةً من نورها أن تُفْتَضَحْ
And the sun hides from it behind its veil of cloud,
The sun in its clouds' veil
for fear the wine's light will put the sun to shame.
Hides for fear its light will be exposed.
يومٌa day كأنّas though القَطْرَthe raindrops فيهِin it لؤلؤٌwere pearls
يومٌ كأنّ القَطْرَ فيهِ لؤلؤٌ
يَنْظِمُstrings للرّوضِfor the garden عُقُوداًnecklaces وَوُشَحand sashes
يَنْظِمُ للرّوضِ عُقُوداً وَوُشَح
A day on which the rain seems like pearls,
A day as if its drops were pearls
stringing necklaces and sashes for the garden.
Stringing necklaces and bracelets for the garden.
يَقدحُstrikes ناراًfire منfrom زنادِthe fire-striker of بَرْقِهِits lightning
يَقدحُ ناراً من زنادِ بَرْقِهِ
ويطفئُand quenches الغيثُthe rain سريعاًswiftly ماwhat قَدَحit struck
ويطفئُ الغيثُ سريعاً ما قَدَح
It strikes fire from the flint of its lightning,
Kindling fire from the flint of its lightning
and the rain swiftly quenches what it struck.
While the rain quickly douses what it lit.
لمّاwhen جَرَتْblew فيهِthrough it الصَّباthe east wind عَليلةًlanguid
لمّا جَرَتْ فيهِ الصَّبا عَليلةً
رقّgrew gentle الهواءُthe air فيهِin it للنّفسِfor the soul وصَحand grew wholesome
رقّ الهواءُ فيهِ للنّفسِ وصَح
When the east wind drifted through it languidly,
When the zephyr blew sickly in it
the air grew gentle and wholesome for the soul.
The air softened in it for the soul and cleared.
كأنّماas though الكافورُcamphor نَثْرُthe scattering of ثَلْجِناْour snow
كأنّما الكافورُ نَثْرُ ثَلْجِناْ
أوor نَدَفَcarded البُرْسَcotton لناfor us قوسُthe bow of قزحQuzah (in 'rainbow')
أو نَدَفَ البُرْسَ لنا قوسُ قزح
It seemed our scattered snow was camphor,
As if our camphor were a scattering of snow
or the rainbow's bow had carded cotton for us.
Or Iris let down her bow for us.
حتىuntil علاoverspread الجوَّthe sky دجىًdarkness لمdid not يَغْتَبِقْdrink at evening
حتى علا الجوَّ دجىً لم يَغْتَبِقْ
فيهin it الثّرَىthe earth منof الحياrain كماas اصطَبَحit drank at morning
فيه الثّرَى من الحيا كما اصطَبَح
Until darkness overspread the sky; no evening draught
Until the sky darkened with a gloom in which
of rain did the earth drink then, as it had in the morning.
The ground did not distinguish between serpent and rope.
غرابُa raven of ليلnight فوقناabove us مُحَلّقٌsoaring
غرابُ ليل فوقنا مُحَلّقٌ
يَقْبِضُwithdraws عنّاfrom us ظلّهits shadow إذاwhen جنحit inclines its wings
يَقْبِضُ عنّا ظلّه إذا جنح
A raven of night soars above us,
A raven of night hovering over us
withdrawing its shadow from us as it inclines its wings.
Withdrawing its shade when it flew.
وقدand already محاerased صبغَthe dye of الدّياجيnight's darkness قَمَرٌa moon
وقد محا صبغَ الدّياجي قَمَرٌ
دينارُهُits dinar فيin كَفّةِthe scale-pan of الغَرْبِthe west رَجَحtipped the balance
دينارُهُ في كَفّةِ الغَرْبِ رَجَح
And a moon has erased the dye of night's darkness,
And a shining moon erased the dyer's color
its dinar weighing down the western scale-pan.
Its dinar weighed down the scale of sunset.
حتىuntil إذاwhen ردّcalled back حُداthe chanting of عدوّهِمْtheir foe
حتى إذا ردّ حُدا عدوّهِمْ
منwhoever كانhad been فيin واديthe valley of الرّقادِsleep قدalready سرَحwandering
من كان في وادي الرّقادِ قد سرَح
Then, when their foe's chanting called back
Until when the limit turned back their enemy
those who had wandered in the valley of sleep,
Those in the valley of slumber were set loose.
نَبّهَroused ذاthis one هَذاthis one وكلٌّand each طَرْفُهُhis eye
نَبّهَ ذا هَذا وكلٌّ طَرْفُهُ
يلمحُglimpses طرْفَa glance of الشكرِthanks منfrom حيثُwhere لمحit glanced
يلمحُ طرْفَ الشكرِ من حيثُ لمح
one roused another, and each one's eye
This one awoke that, each
caught a grateful glance wherever it looked.
Catching sight of the dawn's rim from where it glanced.
يسألُis asked فيabout تقويمِstraightening جيدٍa neck مائلٍdrooping
يسألُ في تقويمِ جيدٍ مائلٍ
لوif لمnot يسامحْgive freely فيwith الحميّاstrong wine لسَمَحhe would oblige
لو لم يسامحْ في الحميّا لسَمَح
He is asked to straighten a drooping neck;
Asking in a tilting fine script
even were he ungenerous with strong wine, he would oblige.
If it did not forgive in zeal it would erase.
أضاربٌis it one clapping كفّيهhis two hands يَشدوsinging سَحَراًbefore dawn
أضاربٌ كفّيه يَشدو سَحَراً
أمor نافضٌone shaking سقطيهits two wings فيهat that hour قدhas صَدَحcrowed
أم نافضٌ سقطيه فيه قد صَدَح
Is it one clapping his hands, singing before dawn,
Those clapping hands singing the dawn
or one shaking its wings that has crowed at that hour?
Or shaking off sleep in which he was sunk?
نبّهَroused للقهوَةِfor wine كلّevery طافحdrunkard
نبّهَ للقهوَةِ كلّ طافح
فيon مصرَعِthe killing-ground of السكرdrunkenness قتيلاًslain مُطّرَحcast down
في مصرَعِ السكر قتيلاً مُطّرَح
He roused for wine every drunkard
It alerted each brimming Cupbearer
on drunkenness's killing-ground, lying slain and cast down,
To the coffee a slain victim tossed about.
منof كلّevery جذلانmerry fellow كأنّas though رُوحَهُhis soul
من كلّ جذلان كأنّ رُوحَهُ
عنfrom جسمهhis body منfrom شدّةِthe force of السكرِdrunkenness نَزَحhad departed
عن جسمه من شدّةِ السكرِ نَزَح
each a merry fellow, as though his soul
From every runt as if his soul
had fled his body from the force of drunkenness.
Had leaked from his body from the intensity of syrup.
إنّindeed الّذيthe one who شَحَّbegrudged علىabout إيقاظِهِwaking him
إنّ الّذي شَحَّ على إيقاظِهِ
سامَحَwas generous فيamong الشُّهْبِthe bright stars نداماهُto his drinking companions فشَحthen grew stingy
سامَحَ في الشُّهْبِ نداماهُ فشَح
He who begrudged waking him
He who was stingy in rousing him
was generous to his drinking fellows amid the stars, then stingy.
Forgave in the gray hairs his regret overflowed.
وجاءناand came to us السّاقيthe cupbearer بصَحنٍwith a bowl مُفْعَمٍbrimming
وجاءنا السّاقي بصَحنٍ مُفْعَمٍ
لوif شاءَhe wished أنْto يَسْبَحَswim فيهin it لسَبَحhe would have swum
لو شاءَ أنْ يَسْبَحَ فيه لسَبَح
And the cupbearer came to us with a brimming bowl:
And the Cupbearer came to us with a overflowing saucer
had he wished to swim in it, he could have swum.
If he wished he could swim in it.
ياO لائميyou who blame me فيfor الراحwine كمhow many سيئةٍa sin
يا لائمي في الراح كم سيئةٍ
تجاوَزَpassed الغَفّارُthe All-Forgiving عنهاover it وصَفَحand pardoned
تجاوَزَ الغَفّارُ عنها وصَفَح
O you who blame me for wine, how many sins
Oh you who blame me for pleasure, how many sins
has the All-Forgiving overlooked and pardoned!
The Forgiving One has overlooked and pardoned.
ماذاwhat تُريدُdo you want منfrom سَبُوقٍa fleet steed كُلّماwhenever
ماذا تُريدُ من سَبُوقٍ كُلّما
رُمْتَyou sought وقوفاًa halt منهfrom it باللّومِwith reproach جَمَحit bolted
رُمْتَ وقوفاً منه باللّومِ جَمَح
What do you want of a fleet steed that, whenever
What do you want from one who, whenever
you try to halt it with reproaches, bolts away?
You stand to blame him, is compliant?
أغشُّthe most deceitful of خلقِthe creatures of اللَّهGod عندin the eyes of ذيone with هوىpassion
أغشُّ خلقِ اللَّه عند ذي هوى
منone who عَرَضَoffered الرشدَright guidance عليهto him ونصحand gave sincere counsel
من عَرَضَ الرشدَ عليه ونصح
The most deceitful of God's creatures, to a lover,
The most foolish of God's creations in love
is one who offers him right guidance and counsel,
Is one who presents him reason and advice.
حتىuntil إذاwhen فكّرَhe reflected عَنْfrom بَصيرَةٍclear insight
حتى إذا فكّرَ عَنْ بَصيرَةٍ
ذمّhe condemned منamong الأفعالِthe deeds ماwhat كانhe had مَدَحpraised
ذمّ من الأفعالِ ما كان مَدَح
until, when he reflects with clear insight,
Until when he reflects with insight
he condemns the deeds he had once praised.
He blames what he had praised of deeds.
Sol 6.1