لَنا صَديقٌ مَن رَآهُ رَأى

لَنا صَديقٌ مَن رَآهُ رَأى

مَن لَيسَ يُخطي بُكرَةً سَكره

مَن لَيسَ يُخطي بُكرَةً سَكره

We have a friend—whoever sees him sees

We have a friend: whoever sees him sees

one whose drunkenness never misses a morning.

One who never misses a morning bout of drunkenness.

قُلتُ لَهُ يَوماً بِلا حِشمَةٍ

قُلتُ لَهُ يَوماً بِلا حِشمَةٍ

إِذ جاءَ يَدعونِيَ مِن بُكرَه

إِذ جاءَ يَدعونِيَ مِن بُكرَه

One day I said to him, without reserve,

One day I said to him, without reserve,

when he came to invite me at break of day:

When he came inviting me at daybreak:

ما لِيَ بِالصُبحَةِ مِن حاجَةٍ

ما لِيَ بِالصُبحَةِ مِن حاجَةٍ

لا بُدَّ لِلصُبحَةِ مِن فَترَه

لا بُدَّ لِلصُبحَةِ مِن فَترَه

“I have no need for a morning drinking bout;

I have no need of morning drinking;

morning drinking must have an interval of rest.”

There must be a respite from morning drinking.