وَصاحِبٍ زانَ كُلَّ مُصطَحَبِ

يُنمى إِذا ما اِنتَمى إِلى اليَمَنِ

And a companion whose every companion thrives

And a companion who adorns every company he keeps,

When he inclines towards fortune's favor

Who traces his lineage, whenever he claims it, back to Yemen,

أَروَعُ مَحمودَةٌ خَلائِقُهُ

يَبذُلُ في الخَمرِ أَفضَلَ الثَمَنِ

A paragon of creation is his nature

Splendid is he, with character traits most praiseworthy,

Who gives his best wine for the finest price

Spending the very highest price for wine,

بَدرُ ظَلامٍ غِياثُ مُجدِبَةٍ

مَعدِنُ بَذلٍ يَهتَزُّ لِلمِنَنِ

A moon in deepest darkness, a rain for barren land

A full moon in darkness, a succor for the drought-stricken land,

A mine of generosity shaken by favors

A mine of generosity who trembles with joy to grant favors,

مُهَذَّبٌ ماجِدٌ أَخو كَرَمٍ

قَرمٌ يُرَجّى لِحادِثِ الزَمَنِ

Refined, glorious, a brother of benevolence

Refined, glorious, a very brother of nobility,

An honorable man hoped for in times of strife

A chieftain relied upon against the misfortunes of time.

دَوماً تَراهُ قَتيلَ غانِيَةٍ

مُعمِلَ كَأسٍ بِالخَلعِ لِلرَسَنِ

You'll always find him a martyr of revelry

You see him always the slain victim of a beauty,

Preparing a cup with robes for the companions

Plyer of the cup, casting off the halter of restraint.

نادَيتُهُ وَالظَلامُ مُنسَدِلٌ

وَغُرَّةُ الصُبحِ بَعدُ لَم تَبِنِ

I called him while darkness hung heavy

I called to him while the darkness was still draped,

And faint dawn had yet to be seen

And the white blaze of morning had not yet appeared.

قُم يا خَليلي إِلى المُدامِ لِكَي

تَطرُدَ عَنّا عَساكِرَ الحَزَنِ

Arise my friend, to the wine, so that

"Arise, my friend, to the wine, so that

You may dispel the armies of sorrow from us

You may drive away from us the armies of sorrow."

فَلَم يُجِبني إِلّا بِلَجلَجَةٍ

تَكادُ تَخفى عَلى الفَتى الفَطِنِ

He answered me only with murmuring

But he answered me not, save with a stammering mumble

That nearly escapes the keen youth's notice

That would be nearly hidden even from the sharp-witted youth.

فَلَم أَزَل بِالرُقى أُعَلِّلُهُ

حَتّى اِنجَلى عَنهُ عارِضُ الوَسَنِ

I continued to entreat him with charms

I ceased not soothing him with gentle charms,

Until the cloud over him began to lift

Until the cloud of slumber cleared away from him.

ثُمَّ تَغَنّى عَلَيهِ مِن طَرَبٍ

يا ريحُ ما تَصنَعينَ بِالدِمَنِ

Then he sang to me in musical delight

Then he sang out, moved by the rapture of the moment:

"Oh wind what will you do with the tailor shop?"

"O Wind, what are you doing with the traces of the ruins?"