تَعَلَّل بِالمُدامِ مَعَ النَديمِ

فَفيهِ الرَوحُ مِن كُرَبِ الغُمومِ

Indulge in wine with a boon companion,

Seek solace in the vintage with a kindred cup-companion,

In it is respite from the worries of sorrows.

For therein lies relief from the anguish of deep sorrows.

وَبادِر بِالصَبوحِ فَإِنَّ فيهِ

شِفاءَ السَقمِ لِلرَجُلِ السَقيمِ

Rise early with the dawn, for in it

Make haste to the morning draught, for truly it contains

Is a cure for sickness, for the ailing man.

A healing cure for the malady of the ailing man.

وَخُذها إِن شَرِبتَ وَميضَ بَرقٍ

بِماءِ المُزنِ مِن نُطَفِ الغُيومِ

Drink it when lightning flashes,

And if you drink, take it as a flashing bolt of lightning,

With water from the clouds' droplets.

Mixed with the water of rain-clouds, from the pure droplets of the sky,

لِتَجعَلَ هَذِهِ عُرساً لِهَذا

فَإِنَّ القَطرَ بَعلٌ لِلكُرومِ

That you may make this a wedding for that,

To make of this union a wedding feast for that,

For rain is husband to vineyards.

For the falling rain is indeed a husband to the vines.

وَلا تَسقِ المُدامَ فَتىً لَئيماً

فَلَستُ أُحِلُّ هَذي لِلَّئيمِ

Do not serve wine to a wicked man,

And serve not the vintage to a base and mean-spirited youth,

I do not sanction this for the wicked.

For I deem this noble draught unlawful for the vile.

لِأَنَّ الكَرمَ مِن كَرَمٍ وَجودٍ

وَماءُ الكَرمِ لِلرَجُلِ الكَريمِ

For generosity is from the noble soul,

For the vine springs from generosity and bounty,

And the water of nobility is for the noble man.

And the essence of the vine belongs only to the noble man.

وَلا تَجعَل نَديمَكَ في شَرابٍ

سَخيفَ العَقلِ أَو دَنِسَ الأَديمِ

Do not take as your drinking mate

And do not choose, when partaking in wine, a companion

One feebleminded or soiled clothes.

Who is feeble of mind or tarnished of reputation.

وَنادِم إِن شَرِبتَ أَخا مَعالٍ

فَإِنَّ الشَربَ يَجمُلُ بِالقُرومِ

And take as companion if you drink, an intimate friend,

But carouse, if you drink, with a brother of high virtue,

For drinking becomes fine with intimates.

For the rite of drinking is beautified by the company of lords.

وَإِنَّ المَرءَ يَصحَبُ كُلَّ جيلٍ

وَيُنسَبُ في المُدامِ إِلى النَديمِ

A man keeps company with each generation,

For a man may keep company with every manner of folk,

And in wine is linked to the companion.

But in his cups, he is defined by his drinking companion.