أَخِلّانَ المُدامِ هَجَرتُموني

أَخِلّانَ المُدامِ هَجَرتُموني

لِهَجري عَن قَليلٍ لِلمُدامِ

لِهَجري عَن قَليلٍ لِلمُدامِ

O companions of wine, you have forsaken me

The wine glasses abandoned me

For my brief forsaking of wine.

For a brief estrangement from wine

وَأَصبَحَ مَن سَمَحتُ لَهُ بِروحي

وَأَصبَحَ مَن سَمَحتُ لَهُ بِروحي

يَشِحُّ عَليَّ حَتّى بِالسَلامِ

يَشِحُّ عَليَّ حَتّى بِالسَلامِ

And now the one to whom I freely gave my soul

And he who I gave my soul to freely

Begrudges me even a greeting.

Becomes miserly with even a greeting

وَلَم أَكُ تائِباً عَنها وَلَكِن

وَلَم أَكُ تائِباً عَنها وَلَكِن

أَرَدتُ بِأَن أَرى أَهلَ الذِمامِ

أَرَدتُ بِأَن أَرى أَهلَ الذِمامِ

And I had not repented of it, but rather

Yet I did not repent my ways

I wished to see those who keep faith,

But wished to know true comrades

وَأَعرِفَ مَن يُصاحِبُني لِأَمرٍ

وَأَعرِفَ مَن يُصاحِبُني لِأَمرٍ

إِذا ما هَلَّ مَلَّ مَعَ التَمامِ

إِذا ما هَلَّ مَلَّ مَعَ التَمامِ

And learn who befriends me for some purpose—

And see who would stand by me

When it dawns, he tires of me once it is fulfilled.

When events run their course

فَشُكراً لِلمُدامَةِ إِذ أَرَتني

فَشُكراً لِلمُدامَةِ إِذ أَرَتني

صَديقَ الصِدقِ مِن مَذِقِ الكَلامِ

صَديقَ الصِدقِ مِن مَذِقِ الكَلامِ

So thanks to wine, for it has shown me

So thanks to this test of wine

The true friend apart from the insincere talker.

For showing me who is a true friend in speech and deed