قُل لِلعَذولِ بِحانَةِ الخَمّارِ

وَالشُربُ عِندَ فَصاحَةِ الأَوتارِ

Tell the abstainer in the tavern

Tell the critic within the vintner's tavern,

And drinking during musical recitals

As we drink to the eloquence of lute strings,

إِنّي قَصَدتُ إِلى فَقيهٍ عالِمٍ

مُتَنَسِّكٍ حَبرٍ مِنَ الأَحبارِ

That I went to a learned jurist

That I sought out a scholar of great learning,

A pious scholar of great knowledge

An ascetic, a master among the scribes,

مُتَعَمِّقٍ في دينِهِ مُتَفَقِّهٍ

مُتَبَصِّرٍ في العِلمِ وَالأَخبارِ

Deeply versed in his religion, jurisprudent

Deeply versed in his faith and jurisprudence,

Insightful in science and news

Insightful in science and ancient lore.

قُلتُ النَبيذُ تُحِلُّهُ فَأَجابَ لا

إِلّا عُقاراً تَرتَمي بِشَرارِ

I asked, "Is wine permissible?" He answered "No,

I asked, "Is date-wine lawful?" He answered, "No,

Except a bubbling liquor that erupts in flames."

Save for the vintage grape that sparks with fire."

قُلتُ الصَلاةُ فَقالَ فَرضٌ واجِبٌ

صَلِّ الصَلاةَ وَبِت حَليفَ عُقارِ

I asked about prayer, he said it's obligatory

I asked of prayer; he said, "A binding duty:

"Pray the prayers and spend nights with liquor as a companion."

Pray your prayers, then spend the night with wine.

اِجمَع عَلَيكَ صَلاةَ حَولٍ كامِلٍ

مِن فَرضِ لَيلٍ فَاِقضِهِ بِنَهارِ

Gather in yourself the prayers of a full year

Gather upon yourself the prayers of a whole year,

And fulfill the obligatory night prayers by day.

Take the night's duties and pay them off by day."

قُلتُ الصِيامَ فَقالَ لي لا تَنوِهِ

وَاِشدُد عُرى الإِفطارِ بِالإِفطارِ

I asked about fasting, he said "Don't overdo it

I asked of fasting; he said, "Make no vow,

And strengthen the breaking of the fast with more breaking."

And bind one broken fast tightly to the next."

قُلتُ التَصَدُّقُ وَالزَكاةُ فَقالَ لي

شَيءٌ يُعَدُّ لآلةِ الشُطّارِ

I asked about alms and zakat, he told me

I asked of alms and charity; he told me,

"It's something prepared for the equipment of raiders."

"Something fit only for the tools of scoundrels."

قُلتُ المَناسِكُ إِن حَجَجتُ فَقالَ لي

هَذا الفُضولُ وَغايَةُ الإِدبارِ

I asked about the rites if I make hajj, he told me

I asked of rituals, should I make the Hajj? He said,

"This is superfluous and the utmost waste."

"That is mere meddling and the height of ruin.

لا تَأتِيَنَّ بِلادَ مَكَّةَ مُحرِماً

وَلَوَ اَنَّ مَكَّةَ عِندَ بابِ الدارِ

"Do not come to Mecca's lands in pilgrim's garb

Do not approach the lands of Mecca as a pilgrim,

Even if Mecca were at your door."

Even if Mecca stood at the door of your house."

قُلتُ الطُغاةُ فَقالَ لي لا تَغزُهُم

وَلَوَ اَنَّهُم قَرُبوا مِنَ الأَنبارِ

I said "The tyrants..." He said "Don't fight them

I asked of invaders; he said, "Do not fight them,

Even if they were near Al-Anbar."

Even if they march near the walls of Al-Anbar.

سالِمهُمُ وَاِقتَصَّ مِن أَولادِهِم

إِن كُنتَ ذا حَنَقٍ عَلى الكُفّارِ

"Make peace with them, and take vengeance on their children

Make peace with them, but take revenge on their children,

If you harbor resentment against the infidels."

If you hold anger against the infidels.

وَاِطعَن بِرُمحِكَ بَطنَ تِلكَ وَظَهرَ ذا

هَذا الجِهادُ فَنِعمَ عُقبى الدارِ

"And stab with your spear the belly of this one and the back of that

Thrust your spear into her belly, and into his back;

This is the true jihad, so excellent is the reward."

This is the Jihad—and what an excellent afterlife!"

قُلتُ الأَمانَةُ هَل تُرَدُّ فَقالَ لي

لا تَردُدِ القِطميرَ مِن قِنطارِ

I asked, "Should entrusted goods be returned?" He said to me

I asked, "Must a trust be returned?" He told me,

"Do not return an ounce of a quintar."

"Return not a speck of a hoard of gold.

لا هُمَّ إِلّا أَن تَكونَ مُضَمِّناً

دَيناً لِصاحِبِ حانَةٍ خَمّارِ

"Just ensure you're not holding

Unless, by God, you are securing

A debt to the owner of a wineshop."

A debt owed to the keeper of a tavern.

فَاِردُد أَمانَتَهُ عَلَيهِ وَدَينَهُ

وَاِحتَل لِذاكَ وَلَو بِبَيعِ إِزارِ

"Return his entrusted goods and his debt to him

Then pay him back his trust and his debt,

And manage that even by selling your loincloth."

Scheme for it, even if you must sell your cloak."

قُلتُ اِعتَزَمتُ فَما تَرى في عازِبٍ

مُتَغَرِّبٍ مُتَقارِبِ الأَسفارِ

I said "I intend to remain single, what do you think

I said, "I am resolved; what say you of a bachelor,

Of an unmarried wanderer travelling the lands?"

An estranged wanderer, constantly on the road?"

فَأَجابَني لَكَ أَن تَلَذَّ بِزَنيَةٍ

مِن جارَةٍ وَتَلوطَ بِاِبنِ الجارِ

He answered me, "It's good for you to enjoy

He answered, "You are free to enjoy the neighbor's wife,

A neighbor's wife, and lie with the neighbor's son."

And to lie with the neighbor's son."

وَدَنا إِلَيَّ وَقالَ نُصحُكَ واجِبٌ

زَيِّن خِصالَكَ هَذِهِ بِقِمارِ

He drew near me and said "I must advise you -

He drew near and said, "Good counsel is a duty:

Adorn yourself with these traits along with gambling."

Crown these virtues of yours with gambling."