دُنُوُّ المُدامَةِ يُدني السُّرورا

دُنُوُّ المُدامَةِ يُدني السُّرورا

فَصِلْ باغتباقِكَ مِنها البُكورا

فَصِلْ باغتباقِكَ مِنها البُكورا

The nearness of wine brings joy near.

The nearness of wine brings joy closer,

So join your morning draught to your evening drinking of it.

So begin your morning with a drink.

فقَد نشرَ الصُّبحُ أعلامَه

فقَد نشرَ الصُّبحُ أعلامَه

وحانَ لكاساتِها أن تَدورا

وحانَ لكاساتِها أن تَدورا

For dawn has unfurled its banners,

For dawn has unfurled its flags,

and the time has come for its cups to go round.

And it's time for the cups to go around.

تَعَجَّبْتُ من غَفَلاتِ الوَرَى

تَعَجَّبْتُ من غَفَلاتِ الوَرَى

وتَركِهِمُ العيشُ غَضّاً نَضيرا

وتَركِهِمُ العيشُ غَضّاً نَضيرا

I marveled at mankind's heedlessness,

I'm astonished by the heedlessness of people,

and their forsaking life, fresh and verdant.

And their leaving life so bitter and joyless.

فطائِفَةٌ تَرتَجي جَنَّةَ ال

فطائِفَةٌ تَرتَجي جَنَّةَ ال

خُلودِ وأخرى تَخافُ السَّعيرا

خُلودِ وأخرى تَخافُ السَّعيرا

For one group hopes for the garden of

One group hopes for paradise eternal,

eternity, while another fears the blazing fire.

While another fears the hellfire infernal.

ركلهم تارك حظه

ركلهم تارك حظه

من العيش فانعم به مستعيرا

من العيش فانعم به مستعيرا

[And all of them] forsake their share

Each has abandoned their share of life's pleasure,

of life; so enjoy it on loan.

Preferring to live in continual torture.

ألا فَاسْقِني الخمرَ مشمولةً

ألا فَاسْقِني الخمرَ مشمولةً

تَصُبُّ على اللَّيلِ صُبحاً مُنيرا

تَصُبُّ على اللَّيلِ صُبحاً مُنيرا

Come, then pour me wine cooled by the north wind,

Come, pour me wine red and pure,

pouring a radiant dawn upon the night,

That makes the darkness shine bright and clear,

مُوَرَّدَةَ اللَّونِ مِسكِيَّةً

مُوَرَّدَةَ اللَّونِ مِسكِيَّةً

تُعِزُّ الدَّليلَ وتُغني الفَقيرا

تُعِزُّ الدَّليلَ وتُغني الفَقيرا

rose-colored and musk-scented.

Of color like musk, rich and rare,

It exalts [the lowly] and enriches the poor.

Bringing pride to the poor, gladdening their hearts.

كأنَّ العَقيقَ بكاساتِها

كأنَّ العَقيقَ بكاساتِها

تَفُضُّ السُّقاةُ عليها العَبيرا

تَفُضُّ السُّقاةُ عليها العَبيرا

As though carnelian lay in its cups,

As though ruby in the goblets it pours,

with cupbearers scattering fragrant powder over it.

And the pourers scent it with fragrant flowers.

صَريعُ النَّوائبِ مَنْ لم يكُنْ

صَريعُ النَّوائبِ مَنْ لم يكُنْ

جَليداً على الهَولِ منها صَبورا

جَليداً على الهَولِ منها صَبورا

Calamities lay low whoever is not

Only the resolute can face life's afflictions and blows,

steadfast and patient in the face of their terror.

Being steadfast through its calamities and woes.

فكُنْ مُوقِناً بِذَهابِ الصَّبا

فكُنْ مُوقِناً بِذَهابِ الصَّبا

ومُغتَنِماً منه دَهْراً قَصيرا

ومُغتَنِماً منه دَهْراً قَصيرا

So be certain that youth will pass,

Know for certain youth's passage is swift,

and make the most of a brief span of it.

Make the most of its days that so quickly drift.

فإنَّ الشَّبابَ له مُدَّةٌ

فإنَّ الشَّبابَ له مُدَّةٌ

تُفَضُّ فتُذهِبُ عنك السُّرورا

تُفَضُّ فتُذهِبُ عنك السُّرورا

For youth has a span

For the joys of youth last but awhile,

that comes to an end and takes your joy away.

Then vanish, leaving only tears and denial.