ضُعفُ رَأسي وَقِلَّةُ الإيمانِ

ضُعفُ رَأسي وَقِلَّةُ الإيمانِ

أَوجَبا ما رَأَيتَ مِن هَذَياني

أَوجَبا ما رَأَيتَ مِن هَذَياني

Weakness of my head and lack of faith

The weakness of my head and lack of faith

brought about what you saw of my ravings,

Have caused what you've seen of my raving madness.

وَالجُنونُ الفُحشُ الَّذي صِرتُ مِنهُ

وَالجُنونُ الفُحشُ الَّذي صِرتُ مِنهُ

خارِجاً عَن طَبيعَةِ الإِنسانِ

خارِجاً عَن طَبيعَةِ الإِنسانِ

and the obscene madness that left me

And the obscene insanity that I've become,

outside human nature.

Outside the nature of a human being.

فَبِحَقّي أَموتُ يا مالِكَ الرِق

فَبِحَقّي أَموتُ يا مالِكَ الرِق

قِ فَاِثنِ عَنِ المُدامِ عِناني

قِ فَاِثنِ عَنِ المُدامِ عِناني

So, for my sake—I am dying, O master of bondage—

So by my right, I shall die, O owner of grace,

turn my reins away from wine.

Stop me from the wine, restrain me.

إِنَّ شُربَ النَضوحِ يَسلِبُني الرُش

إِنَّ شُربَ النَضوحِ يَسلِبُني الرُش

دَ فَكَيفَ المُشَعشَعِ الخَرَكاني

دَ فَكَيفَ المُشَعشَعِ الخَرَكاني

Drinking liquid perfume robs me of reason;

Drinking fermented drinks robs me of my sense,

then what of diluted Kharakānī wine?

How much more the strong, pure wine!

ضَرَّني شُربُهُ بِغَيرِ مِزاجٍ

ضَرَّني شُربُهُ بِغَيرِ مِزاجٍ

في أَوانٍ دارَت بِغيرِ تَوانِ

في أَوانٍ دارَت بِغيرِ تَوانِ

Drinking it unmixed did me harm,

Drinking it without temperance

in cups passed round without delay.

At a time that passed without moderation,

إِنَّ سوءَ المِزاجِ مِنهُ وَمِنّي

إِنَّ سوءَ المِزاجِ مِنهُ وَمِنّي

موجِبٌ ما شَهِدتَهُ بِالعِيانِ

موجِبٌ ما شَهِدتَهُ بِالعِيانِ

Indeed, its ill temperament and mine

The bad mixture of it and me

account for what you witnessed with your own eyes.

Is what caused what you've witnessed with your eyes.

وَلِذا أَنَّ مُنتَهى غايَةِ السُك

وَلِذا أَنَّ مُنتَهى غايَةِ السُك

رِ حَرامٌ في سائِرِ الأَديانِ

رِ حَرامٌ في سائِرِ الأَديانِ

That is why the utmost degree of drunkenness

And so, the highest extent, the farthest point

is forbidden in all religions.

Of drinking liquor is forbidden in all faiths.

بِتُّ أَشكو جَورَ الكُؤوسِ وَساقٍ

بِتُّ أَشكو جَورَ الكُؤوسِ وَساقٍ

كُلَّما قُلتُ قَد سَكِرتُ سَقاني

كُلَّما قُلتُ قَد سَكِرتُ سَقاني

I spent the night complaining of the tyranny of cups and a cupbearer;

I complain of the injustice of cups and a server

whenever I said, 'I am already drunk,' he gave me more to drink.

Who, whenever I say "I'm drunk," serves me again.

إِن أَقُل كُفَّ قالَ هاكَ بِحَقّي

إِن أَقُل كُفَّ قالَ هاكَ بِحَقّي

أَو أَقُل مُتُّ قالَ لي في ضَماني

أَو أَقُل مُتُّ قالَ لي في ضَماني

If I say, 'Stop,' he says, 'Take this, for my sake!'

If I say "stop" he says "by my right, take this!"

Or if I say, 'I'm dead,' he tells me, 'I'll answer for you.'

Or if I say "no more" he says "I guarantee you!"

وَغُلامٍ كَالشَمسِ في خِدمَةِ الشَم

وَغُلامٍ كَالشَمسِ في خِدمَةِ الشَم

سِ يُحَيّي بِالشَمسِ بِنتَ الدَنانِ

سِ يُحَيّي بِالشَمسِ بِنتَ الدَنانِ

And of a youth like the sun, in the service of the sun,

And a servant like the sun in serving the sun,

who greets the daughter of wine-jars with the sun,

Who revives the sun, daughter of the valley.

بِعُقارٍ تَظَلُّ تَفعَلُ بِالعَق

بِعُقارٍ تَظَلُّ تَفعَلُ بِالعَق

لِ فِعالَ النُعاسِ بِالأَجفانِ

لِ فِعالَ النُعاسِ بِالأَجفانِ

with wine that keeps working on the mind

With a drug that makes drowsiness descend

as drowsiness works upon the eyelids.

And do to reason what sleep does to eyelids.

فَلِهَذا قَصَّرتُ في آدَبِ النَف

فَلِهَذا قَصَّرتُ في آدَبِ النَف

سِ وَطالَت بِهِ يَدي وَلِساني

سِ وَطالَت بِهِ يَدي وَلِساني

So I fell short in disciplining my soul,

So for this I fell short in manners of the self

and through it my hand and tongue overreached.

And my hands and tongue went too far.

فَأَنا اليَومَ في خُمارَينِ مِن سُك

فَأَنا اليَومَ في خُمارَينِ مِن سُك

رٍ وَفِكرٍ أَعَضُّ مِنهُ بَناني

رٍ وَفِكرٍ أَعَضُّ مِنهُ بَناني

So today I suffer two hangovers—from drunkenness

Today I'm in two intoxications: of drink

and brooding, which makes me bite my fingertips.

And thought, both of which gnaw at me.

فَاِعفُ وَاِصفَح عَمّا تَخَيَّلَهُ السُك

فَاِعفُ وَاِصفَح عَمّا تَخَيَّلَهُ السُك

رُ فَبَعضُ الحَياءِ مِنكَ كَفاني

رُ فَبَعضُ الحَياءِ مِنكَ كَفاني

So pardon and overlook what drunkenness conjured up;

So forgive and overlook what drunkenness imagined,

for a little shame before you has been enough for me.

For some modesty from you will suffice me.