لا خَرَّبَ اللَهُ كَرخَ السوسِ وَالسوسا

يَوماً وَلا مَجلِساً بِالسوسِ مَأنوسا

May God never destroy the tavern of Sos and Sosa

May God never lay waste to Karkh of Susa, nor Susa itself,

Nor a day of gathering in the tavern of Sos frequented

Not for a single day, nor any intimate gathering held within Susa.

وَحَبَّذا حانَةٌ بِالكَرخِ تَجمَعُنا

نُطيعُ فيها بِشُربِ الخَمرِ إِبليسا

How I wish for a tavern in Karkh that would bring us together

And how lovely is a tavern in Karkh that brings us together,

Where we obey Iblis by drinking wine

Wherein we obey Iblis through the drinking of wine.

راحاً مُشَعشَعَةً حَمراءَ صافِيَةً

بِالكَرخِ عَتَّقَها الدُهقانُ فادوسا

Relaxed, glowing, pure red wine

A spirited vintage, diluted to sparkle, crimson and pure,

Freed by the landlord in Karkh for Fadus

Aged in Karkh by the Dihqan within a mighty vat.

مُحالِفُ الدينِ قَد شابَت ذَوائِبُهُ

يَدعونَهُ الناسُ رِبّاناً وَقِسّيسا

The hypocrite of religion, his beards have grayed

An ally of the faith, whose flowing locks have turned to grey,

People call him a priest and a reverend

Whom the people address as a master monk and a priest.

حَتّى إِذا ما صَفَت في دَنِّها بُزِلَت

حَمراءَ تُذهِبُ عَنكَ الهَمَّ وَالبوسا

Until when her flagons are arranged humbly

Until, when it clarified in its cask, the vessel was broached,

Red wine that takes away your worries and distress

A red liquor that banishes from you all sorrow and misery.

نازَعتُها واضِحَ الخَدَّينِ مُعتَدِلاً

يَحكي بِبَهجَتِهِ لِلناسِ بَلقيسا

I wrested it from the rosy-cheeked, well-balanced one

I shared the cup with a youth of radiant cheeks and slender form,

Who relates in his delight the tale of Balqis to people

Who, in his splendor, recalls to men the beauty of Bilqis.

مُقَرطَقٍ خَرسَنوهُ في حَداثَتِهِ

لَم يُغذَ وَاللَهِ في مَروٍ وَلا طوسا

A little beardless lad in his youth

Clad in a tunic, adorned with earrings in his tender youth,

Who has not been nurtured, by God, in Marw or Tus

By God, he was not nourished in Marw, nor yet in Tus.