أَلاَtake heed فَاسْتَرْزِقِthen seek provision from الرَّحْمَنَthe All-Merciful خَيْرَاًgoodness
أَلاَ فَاسْتَرْزِقِ الرَّحْمَنَ خَيْرَاً
وَسِرْand go بِالكَأسِwith the cup نَحْوَtoward اللَّهْوِmerriment سَيْرَاgoing (for emphasis)
وَسِرْ بِالكَأسِ نَحْوَ اللَّهْوِ سَيْرَا
Come, seek good provision from the All-Merciful,
Seek sustenance from the Most Merciful, good fortune
And make your way, cup in hand, toward merriment.
And pass the cup towards revelry and cheer
وَلاَand do not تَكُbe آلِفاًkeeping company with إلاَّexcept أَدِيْبَاًa man of letters
وَلاَ تَكُ آلِفاً إلاَّ أَدِيْبَاً
وَبُسْتَانَاًand a garden وَمَاخُورَاًand a tavern وَدَيْرَاand a monastery
وَبُسْتَانَاً وَمَاخُورَاً وَدَيْرَا
And keep company with none but a man of letters,
Do not befriend any but the refined and learned
A garden, a tavern, and a monastery.
A garden, and wine, and a monastery dear
وَلاَand do not تَغْرُرْكَdeceive you أَيَّامٌdays طِوَالٌlong
وَلاَ تَغْرُرْكَ أَيَّامٌ طِوَالٌ
تَعُودُturn into نَدَامَةًregret وَتَعُودُand turn into ضَيْرَاharm
تَعُودُ نَدَامَةً وَتَعُودُ ضَيْرَا
And let no long days deceive you,
Let not days long deceived, return
Which turn to regret and turn to harm.
Regret and sorrow they will confer
فَأَيّامُfor the days الهُمُومِof sorrow مُقَصَّصَاتٌwing-clipped
فَأَيّامُ الهُمُومِ مُقَصَّصَاتٌ
وَأَيَّامُand the days السُّرُورِof joy تَطِيْرُfly طَيْرَاflying (for emphasis)
وَأَيَّامُ السُّرُورِ تَطِيْرُ طَيْرَا
For days of sorrow have their wings clipped,
For days of anxiety are foreordained
And days of joy go flying.
While days of joy take wing and fly far
Sol 6.1