أَدِرْ أيّها السّاقي الكؤوسَ على صَحْبِي

أَدِرْ أيّها السّاقي الكؤوسَ على صَحْبِي

وَدعنيَ ظمآناً ففي غيرها نَخْبِي

وَدعنيَ ظمآناً ففي غيرها نَخْبِي

Pass the cups around among my companions, O cupbearer,

O cupbearer, pass around the wine to my companions,

And leave me thirsty: my draught lies elsewhere.

And leave me thirsty, for in other than it is our pride.

وإنْ كنتَ تبغي بالمدامةِ نشوةً

وإنْ كنتَ تبغي بالمدامةِ نشوةً

فعندِيَ ما يُوفِي على نشوةِ الضَّربِ

فعندِيَ ما يُوفِي على نشوةِ الضَّربِ

And if you seek intoxication through wine,

And if you wish to achieve ecstasy with wine,

I have what surpasses the rapture of honey.

I have what suffices over the ecstasy of beating.

أَبَيْتُ الهوى دهراً ولمَّا عرفتُهُ

أَبَيْتُ الهوى دهراً ولمَّا عرفتُهُ

عرفتُ مطاعَ الأمر مُغتَفَر الذّنبِ

عرفتُ مطاعَ الأمر مُغتَفَر الذّنبِ

I refused love for an age; when I came to know it,

I refused passion for ages, but when I knew it,

I found its commands obeyed and its sins forgiven.

I knew the obeyed command, the forgiven sin.

وهيّمَ إطرابَ الفؤادِ أوانِسٌ

وهيّمَ إطرابَ الفؤادِ أوانِسٌ

خَلَصْنَ إلى ذاك الممنَّعِ من حبّي

خَلَصْنَ إلى ذاك الممنَّعِ من حبّي

And lovely maidens drove my heart wild with delight,

And the confusion of my heart are companions,

Winning through to that guarded stronghold of my love.

Who have reached that which is forbidden of my love.

عَلَوْن النَّقا يوماً بأوفى من النّقا

عَلَوْن النَّقا يوماً بأوفى من النّقا

ولُثْنَ على أبهى من العَصْبِ بِالعصبِ

ولُثْنَ على أبهى من العَصْبِ بِالعصبِ

One day they climbed the dune, with fullness greater than the dune's,

They transcended virtue one day with the most loyal of virtues,

And wrapped striped cloth around what was lovelier than the cloth.

And they bent over the most beautiful spine with a spine.

ونادَمْننَا وهْناً بمنعرج اللّوى

ونادَمْننَا وهْناً بمنعرج اللّوى

فَضوَّأْنَ للسّارين داجِيةَ السَّهْبِ

فَضوَّأْنَ للسّارين داجِيةَ السَّهْبِ

They drank with us late at night at al-Liwa's bend,

And we reproached delirium in the twist of passion,

And lit the plain's darkness for travelers by night.

So they illuminated for the walking the sparkling of the plain.

وعانقْنَ قُضباناً من الرّنْدِ مرّةً

وعانقْنَ قُضباناً من الرّنْدِ مرّةً

بأيدٍ سِباطٍ هنّ أندى من القضْبِ

بأيدٍ سِباطٍ هنّ أندى من القضْبِ

And once they embraced branches of laurel,

And we embraced spears of the lance once,

With supple hands, more dewy than the branches.

With smooth hands more delicate than the spear.

وناعمةِ الأطراف حلّ ودادُها

وناعمةِ الأطراف حلّ ودادُها

مَكانَ شغافِ القلبِ مِن حبّةِ القلبِ

مَكانَ شغافِ القلبِ مِن حبّةِ القلبِ

And a maiden of tender limbs—love for her settled

And the gentleness of her limbs, her love took the place,

Where the heart's sheath lies around its very core.

Of the core of my heart from the seed of the heart.

دَعاني قبولٌ خَلَّفَتْهُ إلى الصّبا

دَعاني قبولٌ خَلَّفَتْهُ إلى الصّبا

وما كلُّ من تمّتْ محاسنُهُ يُصبْي

وما كلُّ من تمّتْ محاسنُهُ يُصبْي

The charm she left behind drew me to youthful passion;

I was called by acceptance which my youth left behind,

Not everyone whose beauty is complete awakens desire.

And not all whose perfections are complete are youthful.

خُلِقتُ كما شاءَ الصّديق مُحكّماً

خُلِقتُ كما شاءَ الصّديق مُحكّماً

عليَّ خليلي نازلاً في هوى صَحْبي

عليَّ خليلي نازلاً في هوى صَحْبي

I was made as a friend would wish, granting authority

I was created as the Friend desired, determining for me,

Over me to my dear friend, yielding to my companions' wishes.

descending upon my love for my companions.

وذمّ رجالٌ أنّني غيرُ مُعْجَبٍ

وذمّ رجالٌ أنّني غيرُ مُعْجَبٍ

فيا عَجَباً ماذا يفيدهُمُ عُجْبي

فيا عَجَباً ماذا يفيدهُمُ عُجْبي

Men reproached me for not being conceited;

And men blamed that I am not impressed,

How strange! What benefit would my conceit bring them?

So how strange! What does their impression benefit them?

ولو أنّني أزهى بشيءٍ مُنِحْتُه

ولو أنّني أزهى بشيءٍ مُنِحْتُه

زهيتُ بفخرِ الملكِ في العُجْم والعُرْبِ

زهيتُ بفخرِ الملكِ في العُجْم والعُرْبِ

Were I to boast of anything bestowed on me,

And if I take pride in something I was given,

I would boast of Fakhr al-Mulk among non-Arabs and Arabs.

I would pride myself on the pride of kings among non-Arabs and Arabs.

حياتِيَ منه بِالمحلّ الَّذي بهِ

حياتِيَ منه بِالمحلّ الَّذي بهِ

يُحَسِّدُني قومي ويَغبطني شَعْبي

يُحَسِّدُني قومي ويَغبطني شَعْبي

Through him my life holds a station for which

My life from it in the position in which

My people envy me, and my tribe admires my good fortune.

My people envy me and my nation congratulates me.

وأرْكَبني أثباجَ كلّ فضيلةٍ

وأرْكَبني أثباجَ كلّ فضيلةٍ

مُمَنَّعَة الأرجاءِ محميّةِ الغَرْبِ

مُمَنَّعَة الأرجاءِ محميّةِ الغَرْبِ

And he set me astride the heights of every virtue,

And it made me ride the impregnable summits of every glory,

With unassailable bounds and a guarded edge.

Inaccessible in expanse, protected from the west.

ففي خُلقِهِ ذاك المُفَسَّحِ مرتعِي

ففي خُلقِهِ ذاك المُفَسَّحِ مرتعِي

ومِنْ لفظهِ ذاك المشرّف لِي عُشبي

ومِنْ لفظهِ ذاك المشرّف لِي عُشبي

In that spacious character of his lies my pasture,

So in its manners is that spacious pasture,

And from that lofty speech of his comes my grass.

And from its words that which ennobles my prairie for me.

وَكَم جهدَ الأعداءُ فيما يسوؤُني

وَكَم جهدَ الأعداءُ فيما يسوؤُني

فما خوّفوا أَمْني ولا ذَعْذَعوا سِرْبي

فما خوّفوا أَمْني ولا ذَعْذَعوا سِرْبي

How often the enemies strove to harm me,

And how the enemies struggled in what harms me,

Yet they neither shook my peace nor scattered my flock.

But they did not frighten my safety nor shake my flock.

رَضينا عَنِ الدُّنيا وَأَنتَ تركتَنا

رَضينا عَنِ الدُّنيا وَأَنتَ تركتَنا

بلا سَخَطٍ في ذا الزّمان ولا عَتْبِ

بلا سَخَطٍ في ذا الزّمان ولا عَتْبِ

We are content with the world, and you have left us

We were content with the world and you left us

Without resentment in this age, or reproach.

Without resentment in this time and without blame.

وجُدْتَ ولم تُسْأل بكلِّ نفيسةٍ

وجُدْتَ ولم تُسْأل بكلِّ نفيسةٍ

وَقَبلكَ قَومٌ لا يدرّون بالعَصْبِ

وَقَبلكَ قَومٌ لا يدرّون بالعَصْبِ

You gave every precious thing without being asked,

You came and were not asked for any high price,

While those before you yielded no milk, even when bound.

While before you were people who do not know gallantry.

شَرِبنا أُجاجاً مِنْهُمُ وَتَنازحوا

شَرِبنا أُجاجاً مِنْهُمُ وَتَنازحوا

عَنِ المَوردِ المَورودِ والمنهلِ العّذْبِ

عَنِ المَوردِ المَورودِ والمنهلِ العّذْبِ

We drank bitter brine from them, and they drew far away

We drank bitterness from them and they shunned

From the frequented watering place and the sweet-water spring.

The frequented spring and the fresh drinking place.

وَما نِلتَه إِلّا بِحَقٍّ أتيتَهُ

وَما نِلتَه إِلّا بِحَقٍّ أتيتَهُ

وكم نيلَتْ العظمى من الأمر بالغصبِ

وكم نيلَتْ العظمى من الأمر بالغصبِ

You attained it only through a rightful deed you performed;

And you did not attain it except by a right you came to,

How often the highest office has been gained by usurpation!

While many attain greatness by usurpation.

حَلفت بِمن ضحّت مِنى يوم نحرِهمْ

حَلفت بِمن ضحّت مِنى يوم نحرِهمْ

وما عقروا من أُمِّ سَقْبٍ ومن سَقْبِ

وما عقروا من أُمِّ سَقْبٍ ومن سَقْبِ

I swore by those on whose day of sacrifice Mina made offerings,

I swear by the One for whom those who slaughtered on the day of their slaughter made a sacrifice,

And by the mother-camels and camel-calves they slaughtered,

And they did not hamstring the she-camels or their young,

وبالنّفرِ الثّانين عُقْلَ رِكابِهمْ

وبالنّفرِ الثّانين عُقْلَ رِكابِهمْ

على عَرَفاتٍ يبتغون رضا الربِّ

على عَرَفاتٍ يبتغون رضا الربِّ

And by the company looping hobbles on their riding-camels

And by the second twenty whose mount ties

At Arafat, seeking the Lord's pleasure:

Were at Arafat, seeking the pleasure of the Lord.

لقد نال فخرُ الملك ما شاءَ من عُلاً

لقد نال فخرُ الملك ما شاءَ من عُلاً

حَلَلْنَ على أعلى محلٍّ من السُّحْبِ

حَلَلْنَ على أعلى محلٍّ من السُّحْبِ

Fakhr al-Mulk has indeed attained whatever heights he wished,

Indeed the pride of kingship attained what it desired of might,

Which settled at the highest station among the clouds.

Our garments reached the highest position from the clouds.

فتىً لم يزلْ يغدو بِعرْضٍ مُمَنَّعٍ

فتىً لم يزلْ يغدو بِعرْضٍ مُمَنَّعٍ

ومالٍ مُذالٍ لا يفيق من النّهْبِ

ومالٍ مُذالٍ لا يفيق من النّهْبِ

A young man ever going forth with honor well defended,

A young man who never ceased charging with impregnable honor

And wealth laid open, never recovering from plunder.

And wealth debased by nothing of plunder.

ولم يرضَ سهلَ الأمرِ يرطب مسُّه

ولم يرضَ سهلَ الأمرِ يرطب مسُّه

وَلَم تلْقَهُ إلّا على مركبٍ صَعْبِ

وَلَم تلْقَهُ إلّا على مركبٍ صَعْبِ

He did not choose the easy undertaking, soft to the touch,

And easy affairs did not suit him to be dampened by its touch,

And you found him only astride a difficult mount.

And it did not meet him except on a difficult mount.

وَرامَ مداهُ المُترفون وإنّما

وَرامَ مداهُ المُترفون وإنّما

يَرومونَ ما رامَ الوِهادُ من الهَضْبِ

يَرومونَ ما رامَ الوِهادُ من الهَضْبِ

The pampered sought to match his stature; yet they only

The wealthy coveted his extent, but they

Seek what the lowlands sought from the hills.

Only covet what the hyena covets from prey.

فللّهِ أيّامٌ مضين قطعتَها

فللّهِ أيّامٌ مضين قطعتَها

بلا سَأمٍ منها على ضُمَّرٍ قُبِّ

بلا سَأمٍ منها على ضُمَّرٍ قُبِّ

God be praised for those bygone days you traversed,

So by Allah are bygone days he traversed

Without tiring of them, astride lean, slim-bellied steeds.

Without boredom from them on top of rubble.

وَلا ظِلَّ إلّا ما تُفيءُ لك القَنا

وَلا ظِلَّ إلّا ما تُفيءُ لك القَنا

وَلا زادَ إلّا نُجعةُ الطّعنِ والضّربِ

وَلا زادَ إلّا نُجعةُ الطّعنِ والضّربِ

No shade but what the lances cast for you,

And no shade but what the spears shade you

And no provisions but foraging through spear-thrusts and blows.

And no provision but the wounding and striking.

تَصولُ بِعَضْبٍ في يديك وَخلفَه

تَصولُ بِعَضْبٍ في يديك وَخلفَه

مِنَ الرأْي ما أَمضى وأقضى من العَضْبِ

مِنَ الرأْي ما أَمضى وأقضى من العَضْبِ

You charge with a keen sword in your hands, and behind it

You attack with a cane in your hand and behind it

Lies judgment sharper and more decisive than the sword.

Is the understanding that accomplished and judged more than the cane.

فَصفْوُكَ لا يُبلى بِشيءٍ منَ القذى

فَصفْوُكَ لا يُبلى بِشيءٍ منَ القذى

وخِصْبكَ لا يُمنى بشيءٍ من الجَدْبِ

وخِصْبكَ لا يُمنى بشيءٍ من الجَدْبِ

Your purity is marred by no speck of dirt,

So your blade is not worn down by anything of grit,

And your fertility is struck by no drought.

And your fertility is not prevented by anything of barrenness.

وَطاولتَ أعماراً طِوالاً فطُلتَها

وَطاولتَ أعماراً طِوالاً فطُلتَها

وأربيتَ حتى نِلتَ ما لم ينْل مُربِ

وأربيتَ حتى نِلتَ ما لم ينْل مُربِ

You rivaled long lifetimes and surpassed them,

And you sought long lifespans and attained them,

And excelled until you won what none who excelled had won.

And nurtured until you attained what no nurturer attained.

وَلا زالَ هَذا العيدُ يَتلوهُ مثلُهُ

وَلا زالَ هَذا العيدُ يَتلوهُ مثلُهُ

تعاقُبَ أنواءِ السّحاب على التُّربِ

تعاقُبَ أنواءِ السّحاب على التُّربِ

May this festival ever be followed by another like it,

And this feast continues to be followed by its like,

As the clouds' showers follow one another over the soil.

The alternation of different types of clouds over the soil.

أَلا مَنْ معينِي مِن خليلٍ أَعدُّه

أَلا مَنْ معينِي مِن خليلٍ أَعدُّه

عَلى شُكر نعماءِ أتتني بلا كسبِ

عَلى شُكر نعماءِ أتتني بلا كسبِ

Ah, who will help me—a friend I can count on—

Verily, who will help me of a friend I count

To give thanks for a blessing that came to me unearned?

Upon thanking the blessings that came to me without earning?

تَجشّم خير الناس طُرّاً عيادَتي

تَجشّم خير الناس طُرّاً عيادَتي

فَجاءَ بِما حسبي به شرفاً حسبي

فَجاءَ بِما حسبي به شرفاً حسبي

The best of all people took the trouble to visit me in sickness,

The best of people undertook goodness by visiting me,

So he brought what was honor enough for me—enough indeed.

So he came with what in my view is an honor for my status.

وَلَم يَعرِفوا شُكراً لها ولربّها

وَلَم يَعرِفوا شُكراً لها ولربّها

فلم يعْلمونا كيف نشكر في الكُتْبِ

فلم يعْلمونا كيف نشكر في الكُتْبِ

They knew no thanks for it or its giver,

And they did not know thankfulness for it and for its Lord,

So they never taught us in books how to give thanks.

So they did not teach us how to give thanks in books.

فإنْ أَعْيَ عن شكرٍ لها من صنيعةٍ

فإنْ أَعْيَ عن شكرٍ لها من صنيعةٍ

فَذلك مِن ذنبِ البلاغةِ لا ذَنبي

فَذلك مِن ذنبِ البلاغةِ لا ذَنبي

If I am unable to give thanks for such a favor,

So if I fall short of thanking it with any work,

Then that is eloquence's fault, not mine.

Then that is from the sin of eloquence, not my sin.