تَغَنَّىsang الْحَمَامُthe doves وَنَمَّand wafted الشَّذَاthe fragrance
تَغَنَّى الْحَمَامُ وَنَمَّ الشَّذَا
وَلاحَand appeared الصَّبَاحُthe dawn فَيَاso, oh حَبَّذَاhow delightful!
وَلاحَ الصَّبَاحُ فَيَا حَبَّذَا
The doves sang, and fragrance wafted.
And dawn appeared—oh, how delightful!
وَمَاand not زَالَceased يَرْضَعُsuckling طِفْلُthe infant of النَّبَاتِvegetation
وَمَا زَالَ يَرْضَعُ طِفْلُ النَّبَاتِ
ثدِيَّthe breasts of الْغَمَامَةِthe cloud حَتَّىuntil اغْتَذَىit was nourished
ثدِيَّ الْغَمَامَةِ حَتَّى اغْتَذَى
And the infant plant kept suckling
At the cloud's breasts until it was nourished.
فَقُمْso rise نَغْتَنِمْlet us seize صَفْوَthe best of أَيَّامِنَاour days
فَقُمْ نَغْتَنِمْ صَفْوَ أَيَّامِنَا
وَنَدْفَعُand we ward off بِالرَّاحِwith wine عَنَّاfrom us الأَذَىharm
وَنَدْفَعُ بِالرَّاحِ عَنَّا الأَذَى
So rise; let us seize the best of our days,
And drive harm away from us with wine.
فَمَاfor there is no بَعْدَafter عَصْرِthe season of الصِّبَاyouth لَذَّةٌpleasure
فَمَا بَعْدَ عَصْرِ الصِّبَا لَذَّةٌ
وَلاnor مِثْلُlike صَفْوِthe clear essence of الْحُمَيَّاstrong wine غِذَاnourishment
وَلا مِثْلُ صَفْوِ الْحُمَيَّا غِذَا
For after youth's season there is no pleasure,
Nor nourishment like clear, strong wine.
تَذُودُit drives away عَنِfrom الْقَلْبِthe heart أَحْزَانَهُits sorrows
تَذُودُ عَنِ الْقَلْبِ أَحْزَانَهُ
وَتَنْفِيand it banishes عَنِfrom الْعَيْنِthe eye شَوْبَthe taint of الْقَذَىgrit
وَتَنْفِي عَنِ الْعَيْنِ شَوْبَ الْقَذَى
It drives the heart's sorrows away,
And banishes the taint of grit from the eye.
وَتَجْلُوand it dispels الظَّلامَthe darkness بِلأْلائِهَاwith its radiance
وَتَجْلُو الظَّلامَ بِلأْلائِهَا
كَأَنَّas though بِأَيْدِيin the hands of السُّقَاةِthe cupbearers الْجُذَاthe burning brands
كَأَنَّ بِأَيْدِي السُّقَاةِ الْجُذَا
And dispels the darkness with its radiance,
As though the cupbearers held burning brands.
إِذَاwhen ماemphatic particle احْتَسَاهَاhe sips it كَرِيمٌa noble man هَدَىhe guides aright
إِذَا ما احْتَسَاهَا كَرِيمٌ هَدَى
وَإِنْand if عَبَّhe drinks deeply فِيهَاof it لَئِيمٌa base man هَذَىhe babbles
وَإِنْ عَبَّ فِيهَا لَئِيمٌ هَذَى
When a noble man sips it, he guides aright;
But if a base man gulps it down, he babbles.
فَدَعْso leave مَاwhat تَوَلَّىhas passed وَخُذْand take مَاwhat أَتَىhas come
فَدَعْ مَا تَوَلَّى وَخُذْ مَا أَتَى
فَلَنْfor never will يَصْلُحَbe good الْعَيْشُlife إِلَّاexcept كَذَاlike this
فَلَنْ يَصْلُحَ الْعَيْشُ إِلَّا كَذَا
So leave what has passed, and take what comes;
For life can be good in no other way.
Sol 6.1