ما تَرَى في الصَّبُوحِ أيّدَكَ اللَّ

ما تَرَى في الصَّبُوحِ أيّدَكَ اللَّ

هُ فَهَذَا أوانُ حَثِّ الصُّبُوحِ

هُ فَهَذَا أوانُ حَثِّ الصُّبُوحِ

What do you think of a morning draught? May God strengthen you—

What you see in the dawn, has Allah strengthened you

for now is the time to hasten the morning draught.

So this is the time to motivate the dawns

غَسَقٌ راحِلٌ وَدِيْكٌ صَدُوحٌ

غَسَقٌ راحِلٌ وَدِيْكٌ صَدُوحٌ

فَأَجِبْ دَعْوَةَ المُنادِي الصَّدُوحِ

فَأَجِبْ دَعْوَةَ المُنادِي الصَّدُوحِ

Night's darkness departs, and a rooster crows loudly;

Darkness is departing and a rooster is calling

so answer the call of the loud-voiced herald.

So answer the call of the passionate caller

وكأنّ الصَّبَاحَ أَوْجُهُ رُهْبَا

وكأنّ الصَّبَاحَ أَوْجُهُ رُهْبَا

نِ تَطَلَّعْنَ مِنْ فُتُوقِ المسوحِ

نِ تَطَلَّعْنَ مِنْ فُتُوقِ المسوحِ

And dawn is like the faces of monks

And it's as if the morning has frightened faces

peering through rents in their haircloth robes.

That looked out from the openings of the veils

وَأَرَى القَطْرَ قَدْ تَتَابَعَ يَحْكي

وَأَرَى القَطْرَ قَدْ تَتَابَعَ يَحْكي

دَمْعَ عَيْنَيْ أَخِي فُؤَادٍ قَرِيْحِ

دَمْعَ عَيْنَيْ أَخِي فُؤَادٍ قَرِيْحِ

And I see the rain falling drop after drop, resembling

And I see the raindrops continuously falling

the tears from both eyes of one with a wounded heart.

Telling the tears of my brother, the heart's confidant

وعى الدَّيْكَدَانِ قِدْرَانِ أَذْكَى

وعى الدَّيْكَدَانِ قِدْرَانِ أَذْكَى

مِنْ عَبِيْرٍ بِقَهْوَةٍ مَجْدُوحِ

مِنْ عَبِيْرٍ بِقَهْوَةٍ مَجْدُوحِ

And [on] the hearth are two pots, more fragrant

And on the stove are two pots more aromatic

than perfume stirred into wine.

Than the fragrance of cardamom-infused coffee

وَكَبَابٌ مُشَرّحٌ أَرْهَفَتْهُ

وَكَبَابٌ مُشَرّحٌ أَرْهَفَتْهُ

كَفُّ طاهٍ لطيفةُ التّشْرِيْحِ

كَفُّ طاهٍ لطيفةُ التّشْرِيْحِ

And sliced kebab, made thin

And kebabs well-marinated, which were tenderized

by a cook's hand, delicate in its carving.

By the delicate hands of a gentle cook

ولنا قَيْنَةٌ كهَمِّكَ طِيْباً

ولنا قَيْنَةٌ كهَمِّكَ طِيْباً

وأخٌ ماجِدٌ خَفيفُ الرُّوحِ

وأخٌ ماجِدٌ خَفيفُ الرُّوحِ

And we have a singing girl, as sweet as your thoughts,

And we have a beloved as sweet as your worries

and a noble friend, light of spirit.

And a glorious brother, gentle of soul

ورحيقٌ مُعَتّقٌ كِسْرَوِيٌّ

ورحيقٌ مُعَتّقٌ كِسْرَوِيٌّ

كَدَمِ الشّادِنِ الغَرِيْرِ الذَّبِيْحِ

كَدَمِ الشّادِنِ الغَرِيْرِ الذَّبِيْحِ

And aged, Khosrowian wine,

And aged wine like the syrup of cherries

like the blood of an unsuspecting young gazelle, slain.

Like the blood of a slain, neighing gazelle

وَمُغِنٍّ يُرِيْكَ مَعْبَدَ في المَجْ

وَمُغِنٍّ يُرِيْكَ مَعْبَدَ في المَجْ

لِسِ حِذْقاً وَمَعْبَدٌ في الضَّرِيْحِ

لِسِ حِذْقاً وَمَعْبَدٌ في الضَّرِيْحِ

And a singer who shows you Maʿbad in the gathering

And a singer who shows you in the gathering

by his skill, though Maʿbad lies in the tomb.

Skill in music and skill in elegy

مُطْرِبُ الزِّيْرِ والمثالِثِ والبَمْ

مُطْرِبُ الزِّيْرِ والمثالِثِ والبَمْ

مِ فَصيحٌ يَشْدُو بِعُودٍ فَصِيْحِ

مِ فَصيحٌ يَشْدُو بِعُودٍ فَصِيْحِ

He makes treble, third-course, and bass strings sing,

The melodist of the strings, the lutes and the bam

eloquent, singing to an eloquent lute.

Clear-voiced, singing with a tuneful lute

وَصُنُوفٌ من الرَّيَاحِيْنِ لَيْسَتْ

وَصُنُوفٌ من الرَّيَاحِيْنِ لَيْسَتْ

مِنْ عَرَارٍ وَمِنْ أفانين سيح

مِنْ عَرَارٍ وَمِنْ أفانين سيح

And varieties of aromatic plants, not

And varieties of entertainers, not

ʿarār flowers or sprigs of [wormwood].

Of weaklings or fleeting pleasures

وسقاة مثل الطياء علينا

وسقاة مثل الطياء علينا

تتهادى من سَانِحٍ وَبَرِيْحِ

تتهادى من سَانِحٍ وَبَرِيْحِ

And cupbearers, like [gazelles], around us,

And servers like deer around us

gliding past from left to right and right to left.

Swaying from a slippery to a smooth terrain

كلُّ سَاجِي الجُفُونِ في رِيْقهِ ال

كلُّ سَاجِي الجُفُونِ في رِيْقهِ ال

بُرْءُ وَفي لَفْظِهِ سَقَامُ الصَّحِيْحِ

بُرْءُ وَفي لَفْظِهِ سَقَامُ الصَّحِيْحِ

Each languid-eyed: in his saliva is

All with sleepy eyes in their saliva no

healing, and in his words, sickness for the healthy.

Illness and in their words the health of the healthy

مُخْطَفُ الخَصْرِ والقِبَاءِ كَغُصْنِ ال

مُخْطَفُ الخَصْرِ والقِبَاءِ كَغُصْنِ ال

بَانَةِ الغَضِّ يَوْمَ غيمٍ وَرِيْحٍ

بَانَةِ الغَضِّ يَوْمَ غيمٍ وَرِيْحٍ

Slender of waist and tunic, like a tender bough of the

Snatching waists and moving robes like a bendy

bān tree on a day of cloud and wind.

Sapling on a cloudy and windy day

لك غيرُ القَبيحِ ما تَبْتَغي مِنْ

لك غيرُ القَبيحِ ما تَبْتَغي مِنْ

ه وحَاشَاكَ مِنْ فَعَالٍ القَبِيْحِ

ه وحَاشَاكَ مِنْ فَعَالٍ القَبِيْحِ

Yours is whatever you seek of it, except what is shameful—

You have nothing but the best of what you seek from it

and far be it from you to commit shameful deeds.

And far be you from doing anything ugly

فَتَفَضَّلْ وَكُنْ جَوَابَ كِتَابي

فَتَفَضَّلْ وَكُنْ جَوَابَ كِتَابي

واعْصِ في اللَّهْوِ قَوْلَ كُلِّ نَصِيْحِ

واعْصِ في اللَّهْوِ قَوْلَ كُلِّ نَصِيْحِ

So grant us this favor, and be the answer to my letter;

So please, be the answer to my letter

and in pleasure defy the words of every adviser.

And in amusement, ignore the words of all advisers