وَجَدتُ المُدامَةَ غَلّابَةً

تُهَيِّجُ لِلقَلبِ أَشواقُهُ

I found the wine oppressive

I found the wine to be a conquering force,

It stirs up the heart's passions

Stirring the heart to its deepest yearnings.

تُسيءُ مِنَ المَرءِ تَأديبَهُ

وَلَكِن تُحَسِّنُ أَخلاقَهُ

It corrupts the man's upbringing

It spoils the discipline of a man,

But improves his character

Yet beautifies his character and soul.

وَأَنفَسُ ما لِلفَتى لُبُّهُ

وَذو اللُبِّ يَكرَهُ إِنفاقَهُ

The best thing a lad owns is his heart

The most precious wealth of a youth is his wit,

And he who owns a heart hates to spend it

And the man of sense hates to squander it.

وَقَد مُتُّ أَمسِ بِها مَوتَةً

وَلا يَشتَهي المَوتَ مَن ذاقَهُ

Yet last night I died owing to it

Yesterday, through it, I died a veritable death,

And none who's tasted it craves death

And he who tastes death does not crave it again.