صَيدُ السُرورِ أَجَلَّ مِن ال

صَيدُ السُرورِ أَجَلَّ مِن ال

مَعقولِ مِن صَيدِ الطُيورِ

مَعقولِ مِن صَيدِ الطُيورِ

To capture joy is nobler than what

The pursuit of joy is nobler than what

the mind conceives in hunting birds.

can be conceived from hunting birds.

هَذا شِفاءٌ لِلعُيو

هَذا شِفاءٌ لِلعُيو

نِ وَذا شِفاءٌ لِلصُدورِ

نِ وَذا شِفاءٌ لِلصُدورِ

This is healing for the eyes,

This is a cure for the eyes,

and that is healing for the heart.

and that a cure for hearts.

كَم بَينَ حَملِكَ لِلكُؤو

كَم بَينَ حَملِكَ لِلكُؤو

سِ وَبَينَ حَملِكَ لِلصُقورِ

سِ وَبَينَ حَملِكَ لِلصُقورِ

What a gulf between your bearing cups

How great the difference between your carrying cups

and your bearing falcons!

and your carrying falcons!

أُطلُب لِروحِكَ راحَةً

أُطلُب لِروحِكَ راحَةً

بِالإِقتِصارِ عَلى القُصورِ

بِالإِقتِصارِ عَلى القُصورِ

Seek repose for your soul

Seek repose for your soul

by confining yourself to palaces.

by keeping to the palaces.

وَإِذا أَرَدتَ تَنَزُّهاً

وَإِذا أَرَدتَ تَنَزُّهاً

فَاِشرَب عَلى نَقشِ الحَصيرِ

فَاِشرَب عَلى نَقشِ الحَصيرِ

And when you desire recreation,

And if you desire an outing,

drink upon the patterned mat.

then drink upon the patterned mat.

فَلَنَظرَةٌ في مَجلِسِ

فَلَنَظرَةٌ في مَجلِسِ

خَيرٌ مِنَ الرَوضِ النَضيرِ

خَيرٌ مِنَ الرَوضِ النَضيرِ

For one glance within a gathering

For a glance in a gathering

is better than the verdant meadow;

is better than a verdant garden.

وَلِجامَةٌ مَملوءَةٌ

وَلِجامَةٌ مَملوءَةٌ

أَبهى وَأَحسَنُ مِن غَديرِ

أَبهى وَأَحسَنُ مِن غَديرِ

and a brimming drinking vessel

And a full goblet

is lovelier and fairer than a stream.

is more splendid and fairer than a pool.

لا تَثنِ سَمعَكَ شَهوَةً

لا تَثنِ سَمعَكَ شَهوَةً

لِلطَيرِ عَن مَثنى وَزيرِ

لِلطَيرِ عَن مَثنى وَزيرِ

Do not turn your ear, from longing

Do not turn your ear, out of longing

for birds, away from Muthannā and Wazīr.

for birds, away from the mathnā and zīr strings.

فَالمَرءُ لَيسَ يَراهُما

فَالمَرءُ لَيسَ يَراهُما

دونَ الهَديرِ مَعَ الصَفيرِ

دونَ الهَديرِ مَعَ الصَفيرِ

For no man deems those two inferior

For no man deems those two

to cooing joined with chirping—

inferior to cooing and whistling,

إِلّا وَنَجمُ قِياسِهِ

إِلّا وَنَجمُ قِياسِهِ

قَد غابَ في فَلَكِ الغُرورِ

قَد غابَ في فَلَكِ الغُرورِ

unless the star of his judgment

unless the star of his judgment

has vanished in the sphere of delusion.

has set in the sphere of delusion.