وَنَدمانِ صِدقٍ بَل يَزيدُ فُكاهَةً

عَلى الصِدقِ لَم يَخلِط مُواتاتَهُ مَحكا

With sincere regrets, nay it brings more mirth

And a true boon companion—nay, one overflowing with wit,

Than sincerity, whose flattery was not mingled with pretense

Who, in his sincerity, never mixed his compliance with contention.

حَمولٌ لِما حَمَّلتَهُ غَيرِ ضَيِّقٍ

ذِراعاً بِما ضاقَ الكِرامُ بِهِ مَسكا

Bearing whatever you have loaded me with, not constrained

He bears whatever burden you place upon him, never distressed,

With ample space for the noble’s tightfistedness

Broad in patience where even noble men find their grasp too tight.

دَعاني وَأَعطاني مِنِ ابنَةِ نَفسِهِ

مَوَدَّتَهُ المُثلى وَفي مالِهِ الشِركا

He called me over and granted me from his soul’s daughter

He invited me and bestowed upon me the essence of his soul,

His perfect affection and made me partner in his wealth

His exemplary affection, and a partnership in his wealth.

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لا يَشهَدُ الصُبحُ صَحوَةً

فَدَيتُكَ مِنّي يا نَديمُ وَلا مِنكا

So I said to him the morn beholds no wakefulness—

So I said to him, "Let the dawn not witness a moment of sobriety,"

I ransom you from me, oh boon companion, and not from you

"May I be your ransom, O cup-friend—neither from me nor from you."

وَبادِر بَقايا اللَيلِ يَبلُغكَ سُكرُهُ

يُحَدِّثُ مَن لاقى الصَباحَ بِهِ عَنكا

Hasten the remnants of night, let its intoxication reach you

"Hasten to the remnants of the night, that its intoxication may seize you,"

Relate to whoever the morn encounters you about me

"Recounting your tale to whoever encounters the morning."

فَأَتحَفَنا الخَمّارُ حينَ طُروقُنا

بِراقودِ خَمرٍ شَكَّ في جَنبِهِ شَكّا

So the cupbearer gifted us when we were ready to depart

Then the vintner presented us with a prize when we came knocking,

With a drink of wine having bubbles along its side

A cask of wine whose side he pierced with a sharp tap.

ذَخيرَةُ نوحٍ في الزَمانِ الَّذي اجتَنى

فَأَدخَلَها في الفُلكِ إِذ رَكِبَ الفُلكا

The stash of Noah in the time he collected

It was Noah’s hidden treasure from the time he gathered the vintage,

And admitted into the ark when he boarded the ark

Which he carried into the Ark when he boarded the ship.

فَلَمّا عَمِدناها لِنَسفِكَ بادَرَت

تَباشيرِ رَيّاها وَنَكهَتِها السَفكا

When we straightened it to pour it began

And when we aimed to shed its blood, there hastened forth,

To drip its spittle and its exquisite taste

The heralds of its bouquet and flavor, preceding the flow.

كَأَنَّ أَكُفَّ القَومِ وَالآلَةَ الَّتي

يُديرونَ فيها أَمرَها ضُمِّخَت مِسكا

As if the palms of the people and the instrument

It was as if the palms of the drinkers and the vessel in which,

In which they manage its affair were perfumed with musk

They managed its rounds were thoroughly anointed with musk.

فَما لاحَ ضَوءُ الشَمسِ حَتّى رَأَيتُنا

نَقولُ لِوَقعِ السَكرِ في حامِنا قَدكا

The light of sun had not appeared before we saw ourselves

The light of the sun did not appear until you saw us,

Saying to the impact of intoxication settled in our sleeves, “enough!”

Saying to the impact of drunkenness within our skulls, "Enough of you!"

تَرى عِندَنا ما يُسخِطُ اللَهَ كُلَّهُ

مِنَ العَمَلِ المُردي الفَتى ما خَلا الشِركا

You see with us what angers God altogether

You would see among us every single thing that angers God,

Of work that ruins the vigorous man except blasphemy

Of deeds that destroy a man—save for associating partners with Him.