الكأْسُ لم تُذْنِبْ فكَيْف حَبسْتَها

الكأْسُ لم تُذْنِبْ فكَيْف حَبسْتَها

أَوحشْتَها من طُولِ ما آنَسْتَها

أَوحشْتَها من طُولِ ما آنَسْتَها

The cup has done no wrong—why, then, have you imprisoned her?

The cup did no wrong, so why did you imprison it?

You have made her lonely by keeping her company too long.

You made it lonely by keeping it from company so long.

لا بل هَمَمْتَ بشُربها ورأَيتَهَا

لا بل هَمَمْتَ بشُربها ورأَيتَهَا

أَلقت عليك شُعاعَها فلَبِسْتَها

أَلقت عليك شُعاعَها فلَبِسْتَها

No, rather, you meant to drink her, and saw her

No, you meant to drink it and when you saw it

Cast her radiance upon you—so you wore her.

It cast its radiance on you and you put it on.

كم ذَا الوقوفُ بها لَقَدْ أَتعبتَني

كم ذَا الوقوفُ بها لَقَدْ أَتعبتَني

مِما وَقَفْتَ بِها كما أَتْعَبتَها

مِما وَقَفْتَ بِها كما أَتْعَبتَها

How long this lingering with her? You have wearied me

How long will you stand there with it? You've really tired me out

By lingering with her, just as you have wearied her.

With all your standing there with it, just as you've tired it out.

فتوقَّ حِلمَ النارِ واحْذرْ كَيْدَهُ

فتوقَّ حِلمَ النارِ واحْذرْ كَيْدَهُ

فلقد لَمَسْتَ النارَ حِينَ لَمَسْتَها

فلقد لَمَسْتَ النارَ حِينَ لَمَسْتَها

So beware the fire's forbearance, and guard against its guile,

So restrain the hot temper of the fire and beware its wiles,

For you touched fire when you touched her.

For you touched fire when you touched it.

وشِمِ السرورَ بِشُرْبها لا شِمْتَه

وشِمِ السرورَ بِشُرْبها لا شِمْتَه

وذُقِ الحياةَ بطَعْمِها لاَ ذُقْتَهَا

وذُقِ الحياةَ بطَعْمِها لاَ ذُقْتَهَا

And behold joy by drinking her—may you never behold it!

And smell the joy of drinking it, not the smell of blame,

And taste life through her flavor—may you never taste it!

And taste life in its flavor, not the taste of death.

واكفُفْ دُخان النَّدِّ عن أَنفاسِها

واكفُفْ دُخان النَّدِّ عن أَنفاسِها

فبنَشْره المِسْكيِّ قد دنَّسْتَها

فبنَشْره المِسْكيِّ قد دنَّسْتَها

And keep incense smoke away from her breath,

And stop the smoke of rebuke from fouling its fragrance,

For with its musky fragrance you have sullied her.

For you've sullied it with the stench of musk.

عجِّل بسرِّك والقها في مَسْمَعي

عجِّل بسرِّك والقها في مَسْمَعي

ماذا يَضُرُّكَ يا أَخي لوْ قلْتَها

ماذا يَضُرُّكَ يا أَخي لوْ قلْتَها

Hasten with your secret, and cast it into my ear;

Hurry and confide your secret and whisper it in my ear.

What harm would it do you, my brother, if you spoke it?

What harm to you, my brother, if you tell it?

وصِلِ العجوزَ تَعُدْ صبيّاً ناشِئاً

وصِلِ العجوزَ تَعُدْ صبيّاً ناشِئاً

فلقد نَظرْتَ صِبَاكَ حِينَ نظرتَها

فلقد نَظرْتَ صِبَاكَ حِينَ نظرتَها

And join the old woman—you will become a growing boy again;

Unite the old man and he becomes a boy again,

For you saw your youth when you saw her.

For you saw your youth when you looked on it.

لا تحسبِ الشمسَ المنيرَةَ أُختَها

لا تحسبِ الشمسَ المنيرَةَ أُختَها

في عُمْرِها ما الشمسُ إِلا بنْتها

في عُمْرِها ما الشمسُ إِلا بنْتها

Do not consider the shining sun her sister

Do not think the shining sun is its sister,

In age—the sun is only her daughter.

The sun in its life is only its daughter.

سبقَ الزَمانَ وَجودُها بوجُودِه

سبقَ الزَمانَ وَجودُها بوجُودِه

لا تحسبنَّك يا زمانُ سَبَقْتَها

لا تحسبنَّك يا زمانُ سَبَقْتَها

Her existence preceded Time's own existence;

Its existence preceded time in existence,

Do not suppose, O Time, that you preceded her.

Do not think, O Time, that you preceded it.

ومن العجائبِ أَنَّه لا مُبْتَدا

ومن العجائبِ أَنَّه لا مُبْتَدا

لزَمانِها ولَهُ بِشُرْبِك مُنْتَهى

لزَمانِها ولَهُ بِشُرْبِك مُنْتَهى

And among the wonders is that there is no beginning

And of wonders is that it has no beginning

To her time, yet through your drinking it has an end.

To its time, yet by your drinking it has an end.