وَخِلٍّ ما لِهِمَّتِهِ اِرتِقاءُ

وَخِلٍّ ما لِهِمَّتِهِ اِرتِقاءُ

فَلَيسَ يَصِحُّ فيهِ لَنا إِخاءُ

فَلَيسَ يَصِحُّ فيهِ لَنا إِخاءُ

And a friend whose ambition never rises—

And one with no ambition to rise

So we can have no sound friendship with him.

Is not one with whom friendship lies

دَعانا بَعدَ تَسويفٍ فَصِرنا

دَعانا بَعدَ تَسويفٍ فَصِرنا

إِلى قَومٍ نَعيمُهُمُ شَقاءُ

إِلى قَومٍ نَعيمُهُمُ شَقاءُ

He invited us after procrastinating, so we went

He called us after long delay

To people whose bliss was misery.

To people whose bounty is decay

فَكانَ مِنَ النَبيذِ لَنا مَصيفٌ

فَكانَ مِنَ النَبيذِ لَنا مَصيفٌ

وَكانَ مِنَ الغِناءِ لَنا شِتاءُ

وَكانَ مِنَ الغِناءِ لَنا شِتاءُ

So the wine brought us summer,

So wine became our summer draught

And the singing brought us winter.

And song our winter’s misery wrought