عَجِبتُ لَها تُمسي العُقولُ لَها نَهبا

عَجِبتُ لَها تُمسي العُقولُ لَها نَهبا

وَتَسبي النَدامى وَهيَ ما بَينَهُم تُسبى

وَتَسبي النَدامى وَهيَ ما بَينَهُم تُسبى

I marvel at her: at evening, minds become her plunder,

I'm amazed at how she makes minds crave her every evening,

and she captures the drinking companions while she herself is captive among them.

Plundering the remorseful while she is plundered between them,

وَأَعجَبُ مِن ذا أَنَّها كُلَّما طَغَت

وَأَعجَبُ مِن ذا أَنَّها كُلَّما طَغَت

عَلى العَقلِ زادَ الشارِبونَ لَها حُبّا

عَلى العَقلِ زادَ الشارِبونَ لَها حُبّا

More wondrous still is that whenever she tyrannizes

And more amazing than that is whenever she grows extreme,

over reason, her drinkers love her all the more.

The more she overwhelms reason, the more her drinkers love her.

سُلافٌ تُميتُ العَقلَ في حالِ شُربِها

سُلافٌ تُميتُ العَقلَ في حالِ شُربِها

وَيَنعَشُ مِنها الروحَ وَالجِسمَ وَالقَلبا

وَيَنعَشُ مِنها الروحَ وَالجِسمَ وَالقَلبا

A choice wine that kills reason in the act of drinking her,

A previous drink that kills reason when imbibed,

yet from her comes revival for spirit, body, and heart.

Yet revives the soul, body and heart from it.

مُعَتَّقَةٌ أَفنى الجَديدَ عَتيقُها

مُعَتَّقَةٌ أَفنى الجَديدَ عَتيقُها

وَأَبى صَميماً مِن حُشاشَتِها لُبّا

وَأَبى صَميماً مِن حُشاشَتِها لُبّا

An aged wine whose ancient vintage has consumed the new,

A freed woman whose freshness made her old desirable,

and refused a pure kernel from her remaining life-force [wording unclear].

And her core refused to be anything but gentle from her rawness.

مُحَجَّبَةٌ وَسطَ الدِنانِ وَنورُها

مُحَجَّبَةٌ وَسطَ الدِنانِ وَنورُها

يُخَرِّقُ مِن لَألاءِ غُرَّتِها الحُجبا

يُخَرِّقُ مِن لَألاءِ غُرَّتِها الحُجبا

Veiled amid the wine jars, yet her light

A veiled one amidst occasions whose light

tears through the veils with the brilliance of her brow.

Pierces through the veils with the sheen of her cover.

كُمَيتٌ إِذا شاهَدتَها في إِنائِها

كُمَيتٌ إِذا شاهَدتَها في إِنائِها

وَلَكِن لِصافي لَونِها دُعِيَت صَهبا

وَلَكِن لِصافي لَونِها دُعِيَت صَهبا

Dark red when you behold her in her vessel,

Cloudy when seen in her vessel,

yet for her clear color she is called tawny.

Though called “bright” for the clarity of her color.

إِذا مَسَّها وَقعُ المِزاجِ تَأَلَّمَت

إِذا مَسَّها وَقعُ المِزاجِ تَأَلَّمَت

وَأَزبَدَ مِنها الثَغرُ وَاِمتَلَأَت رُعبا

وَأَزبَدَ مِنها الثَغرُ وَاِمتَلَأَت رُعبا

When the shock of dilution touches her, she suffers,

When touched by temperament she becomes pained

and her mouth foams, and she fills with terror.

And mouths foam as she fills with dread.

وَأَعجَبُ مِن بِكرٍ لَها الماءُ والِدٌ

وَأَعجَبُ مِن بِكرٍ لَها الماءُ والِدٌ

وَتَرجَعُ أَنّى رامَ تَقبيلَها غَضبى

وَتَرجَعُ أَنّى رامَ تَقبيلَها غَضبى

And I marvel at a virgin whose father is water,

More wondrous still is that water is her father

who turns angry whenever he seeks to kiss her.

Yet she returns angry wherever she tries kissing him.

عَجوزٌ إِذا ما أُبرِزَت مِن حِجابِها

عَجوزٌ إِذا ما أُبرِزَت مِن حِجابِها

تُريكَ نَشاطاً كَالغُلامِ إِذا شَبّا

تُريكَ نَشاطاً كَالغُلامِ إِذا شَبّا

An old woman who, when brought out from her veil,

An old woman - when unveiled from her covers -

shows you vigor like a boy coming of age.

Shows you liveliness like a lad in his prime.

هِيَ الشَمسُ إِلّا أَنَّها في شُروقِها

هِيَ الشَمسُ إِلّا أَنَّها في شُروقِها

إِذا مُزِجَت في كَأسِها أَطلَعَت شُهبا

إِذا مُزِجَت في كَأسِها أَطلَعَت شُهبا

She is the sun, except that at her rising,

She’s the sun except that in her rising

when mixed in her cup, she makes bright stars rise.

When mixed in her cup, stars shine forth.

إِذا جُلِيَت في كَأسِها وَتَبَرَّجَت

إِذا جُلِيَت في كَأسِها وَتَبَرَّجَت

وَزادَت نُفوسَ الوامِقينَ بِها عُجبا

وَزادَت نُفوسَ الوامِقينَ بِها عُجبا

When unveiled in her cup and displaying her beauty,

When pure in her goblet, unveiled,

she fills her lovers' souls with greater wonder at her.

Increasing the souls of her beholders in wonder.

يَعُضُّ عَلَيها التائِبونَ بِنانَهُم

يَعُضُّ عَلَيها التائِبونَ بِنانَهُم

وَيَندُبُ كُلٌّ مِنهُمُ عَقلَهُ نَدبا

وَيَندُبُ كُلٌّ مِنهُمُ عَقلَهُ نَدبا

The repentant bite their fingertips over her,

The repentant bite their fingers over her

and each of them bewails his own reason.

And each laments his reason in sorrow.

إِذا ما حَسَوناها أَقَرّوا بِأَنَّهُم

إِذا ما حَسَوناها أَقَرّوا بِأَنَّهُم

قَدِ اِرتَكَبوا في تَركِها مَركَباً صَعبا

قَدِ اِرتَكَبوا في تَركِها مَركَباً صَعبا

When we sip her, they admit that they

When we sense her, we admit that

have ridden a difficult mount in forsaking her.

In leaving her we undertook a grave endeavor.

وَلَم أَرَ حِبراً تابَ عَن نَقعِ نَفسِهِ

وَلَم أَرَ حِبراً تابَ عَن نَقعِ نَفسِهِ

فَلِلَّهِ ما أَعمى الجَهولَ وَما أَغبا

فَلِلَّهِ ما أَعمى الجَهولَ وَما أَغبا

I have never seen a scholar repent of slaking his own thirst;

I’ve never seen a wise one repent abstaining himself,

by God, how blind the ignorant man, and how foolish!

By God, how ignorance blinds fools!

فَهُبّا بِنا نَحوَ الصَبوحِ وَبَردِهِ

فَهُبّا بِنا نَحوَ الصَبوحِ وَبَردِهِ

فَإِنّي لَيُرضِني النَديمُ إِذا هَبّا

فَإِنّي لَيُرضِني النَديمُ إِذا هَبّا

So rise with us, you two, toward the morning draught and its coolness,

So rouse, let's head for morning's coolness,

for my drinking companion surely pleases me when he rises.

As a drinking friend pleases me when he stirs.

وَعوجا بِنا نَستَمطِرُ الدُنَّ غُدوَةً

وَعوجا بِنا نَستَمطِرُ الدُنَّ غُدوَةً

إِذا عاجَتِ الأَغمارُ تَستَمطِرُ السُحبا

إِذا عاجَتِ الأَغمارُ تَستَمطِرُ السُحبا

And turn aside with us, you two; at dawn let us ask the wine jar for rain,

And crookedly, we'll wait out nights' gloom at dawn

when the simpletons turn aside to seek rain from the clouds.

When clouds hustle to wait out the clouds.

وَواصِلِ صَبوحي بِالغَبوقِ وَعُلَّني

وَواصِلِ صَبوحي بِالغَبوقِ وَعُلَّني

بِها كُلَّ يَومٍ لا تَذَر شُربَها غِبّا

بِها كُلَّ يَومٍ لا تَذَر شُربَها غِبّا

Join my morning draught to the evening draught, and give me another drink

And keep my daybreak alive with grape wine,

of her every day; do not leave a day between her draughts.

Intoxicating me with it each day, don't neglect its drinking.

فَإِنَّ قَتيلَ الراحِ يوشِكُ بَعثُهُ

فَإِنَّ قَتيلَ الراحِ يوشِكُ بَعثُهُ

إِذا أَنتَ أَترَعتَ الكُؤوسَ لَهُ سَكبا

إِذا أَنتَ أَترَعتَ الكُؤوسَ لَهُ سَكبا

For the man slain by wine is soon to be resurrected

For the slain by spirits are soon to rise

when you pour the cups brim-full for him.

When you gorge cups for them poured.

إِذا نَفَحَت مِن روحِها فيهِ نَفحَةً

إِذا نَفَحَت مِن روحِها فيهِ نَفحَةً

تَمَثَّلَ حَيّاً بَعدَ أَن قَضى نَحبا

تَمَثَّلَ حَيّاً بَعدَ أَن قَضى نَحبا

When she wafts a breath of her spirit into him,

When her soul's breath fans him once,

he appears alive after meeting his death.

He'll come alive again after tasting anguish.

فَكَم لَيلَةٍ أَحيَيتُها بِمَسَرَّةٍ

فَكَم لَيلَةٍ أَحيَيتُها بِمَسَرَّةٍ

وَقَضَّيتَ فيها العَيشَ أَنهَبُهُ نَهبا

وَقَضَّيتَ فيها العَيشَ أَنهَبُهُ نَهبا

And how many a night have I brought to life with joy,

So many a night I've revived in merriment,

and you spent life there, while I plundered it to the full.

Spending life plundering it voraciously.

وَبِتنا نُوَفّي الحاشِرِيَةَ حَقَّها

وَبِتنا نُوَفّي الحاشِرِيَةَ حَقَّها

وَنُثبِتُ مِن بَعدِ الغَبوقِ لَها نَصبا

وَنُثبِتُ مِن بَعدِ الغَبوقِ لَها نَصبا

We spent the night giving al-Ḥāshiriyya her due,

And we'd establish the night patrol its right

and after the evening draught erected a monument to her.

After drinking bouts, erecting landmarks for it.

نُلَبّي مُنادي الإِصطِباحِ إِذا دَعا

نُلَبّي مُنادي الإِصطِباحِ إِذا دَعا

وَنَدعو سَميعَ الإِغتِباقِ إِذا لَبّى

وَنَدعو سَميعَ الإِغتِباقِ إِذا لَبّى

We answer the caller to the morning draught when he calls,

We'd respond when the morn caller invited us,

and summon the listener to the evening draught when he responds.

And implore the Hearer of daybreak when He called.

بِلَيلَةِ سَعدٍ نَصطَلي النَدَّ رَيَّها

بِلَيلَةِ سَعدٍ نَصطَلي النَدَّ رَيَّها

وَنوقِدُ في آنائِها المَندَلَ الرَطبا

وَنوقِدُ في آنائِها المَندَلَ الرَطبا

On a fortunate night, we warm ourselves by incense, in her fullness [meaning uncertain],

With a fortunate night we ignite its moisture,

and throughout her hours we kindle moist sandalwood.

And in its vessels kindle juicy candles.

بِراحٍ لَها طَبعٌ لِعَكسِ حُروفِها

بِراحٍ لَها طَبعٌ لِعَكسِ حُروفِها

يُصَيِّرُ ضيقَ الصَدرِ مِن حَرِّهِ رَحبا

يُصَيِّرُ ضيقَ الصَدرِ مِن حَرِّهِ رَحبا

With rāḥ—wine—whose nature is her name reversed: ḥār, 'hot',

With a wind imprinted contrary to its letters

whose heat turns the breast's constriction into spacious ease.

It makes a constricted chest spacious from its heat.

وَكادَت تَكونُ الروحَ لا الراحَ كَمَّلَت

وَكادَت تَكونُ الروحَ لا الراحَ كَمَّلَت

قَوى طَبعِها لَو كانَ يا بِسُها رَطبا

قَوى طَبعِها لَو كانَ يا بِسُها رَطبا

She nearly became spirit, not wine; she would perfect

It almost became the soul, not mere wind,

her temperament's powers if her dry element were moist.

The potency of its nature would have, had its essence been juicy.

شَمَمنا شَذاها في الكُؤوسِ فَأَسكَرَت

شَمَمنا شَذاها في الكُؤوسِ فَأَسكَرَت

فَأَنّى لَها رُشدٌ إِذا اِستُعمِلَت شُربا

فَأَنّى لَها رُشدٌ إِذا اِستُعمِلَت شُربا

We smelled her fragrance in the cups, and she intoxicated us;

We smelled its fragrance in cups, so it intoxicated,

so how could there be sound judgment with her when she is drunk?

How can it be reasonable when used for drinking?

فَلَو لَمَعَت في اللَيلِ غُرَّةُ وَجهِها

فَلَو لَمَعَت في اللَيلِ غُرَّةُ وَجهِها

لَشاهَدتَ دُهمَ اللَيلِ مِن نورِها شُهبا

لَشاهَدتَ دُهمَ اللَيلِ مِن نورِها شُهبا

For if the brightness of her face flashed in the night,

If the sheen of its face gleamed in the night,

you would see night's dark expanses turn pale with her light.

You'd see the night's darkness illuminated by its light.

وَلَو قَطَرَت مِنها عَلى الصَخرِ قَطرَةٌ

وَلَو قَطَرَت مِنها عَلى الصَخرِ قَطرَةٌ

رَأَيتَ صَفاةَ الصَخرِ قَد أَنبَتَت عُشبا

رَأَيتَ صَفاةَ الصَخرِ قَد أَنبَتَت عُشبا

And if a single drop of her fell upon rock,

If but a drop of it fell on stone,

you would see the smooth rock already sprouting grass.

You'd see the stone's surface sprout plants.

فَما هِيَ إِلّا أَصلُ كُلِّ مَسَرَّةٍ

فَما هِيَ إِلّا أَصلُ كُلِّ مَسَرَّةٍ

فَكَم رَوَّحَت هَمّاً وَكَم فَرَّجَت كَربا

فَكَم رَوَّحَت هَمّاً وَكَم فَرَّجَت كَربا

She is nothing but the source of every joy:

It is nothing but the origin of all delight,

how often she has eased worry, and how often dispelled distress!

How much grief it has solaced, how much distress relieved!

إِذا ما رَحى الأَفراحِ دارَت فَلا يَرى

إِذا ما رَحى الأَفراحِ دارَت فَلا يَرى

لَبيبٌ سِوى كَأسِ المُدامِ لَها قُطبا

لَبيبٌ سِوى كَأسِ المُدامِ لَها قُطبا

When the millstone of joys turns, no

When joy mills, it revolves, and no sensible one sees

wise man sees any axle for it but the cup of wine.

A pole but the cup of rapture it centers.