لَنا يا أَبا حَسَنٍ عادَةٌ

لَنا يا أَبا حَسَنٍ عادَةٌ

عَليكَ وَدينُكَ حِفظُ العَوائِد

عَليكَ وَدينُكَ حِفظُ العَوائِد

We have, O Abu Hasan, a customary claim

For us, O Abū Ḥasan, there is a habit

upon you; your creed is to uphold such customs:

Upon you, and your faith is to preserve conventions

بِأَنَّكَ تَطرُدُ عَنّا الهُمومَ

بِأَنَّكَ تَطرُدُ عَنّا الهُمومَ

وَما زالَ قُربُكَ لِلهَمِ طارِد

وَما زالَ قُربُكَ لِلهَمِ طارِد

that you drive our cares away,

That you drive away from us worries

and your nearness has always banished sorrow.

And your nearness has never ceased to repel anxiety

فَبِادِر إِلَينا فَصَرفُ الزَمانِ

فَبِادِر إِلَينا فَصَرفُ الزَمانِ

خَفِيُّ الغَوائِلِ جَمُّ المَكائِد

خَفِيُّ الغَوائِلِ جَمُّ المَكائِد

So hasten to us, for the course of time

So hurry to us, for the passage of time

conceals its perils and abounds in plots.

Conceals pitfalls and is full of schemes

وَماضي شَبابِ الفَتى لا يُرَدُّ

وَماضي شَبابِ الفَتى لا يُرَدُّ

وَذاهِبُ عَيشِ الصِبى غَيرُ عائِد

وَذاهِبُ عَيشِ الصِبى غَيرُ عائِد

And a young man's youth, once past, cannot be restored,

The past youth of a young man cannot be restored

and the life of boyhood, once gone, never returns.

And the life of a boy does not return when gone

فَسارِع إِلى مَجلِسٍ غابَ عَنهُ

فَسارِع إِلى مَجلِسٍ غابَ عَنهُ

كُلُّ رَقيبٍ وَواشٍ وَحاسِد

كُلُّ رَقيبٍ وَواشٍ وَحاسِد

So hasten to a gathering free

So hasten to a gathering from which

of every watcher, talebearer, and envier.

Every watcher, whisperer and envier is absent

وَقَد جُمِعَت فيهِ شيناتُهُ

وَقَد جُمِعَت فيهِ شيناتُهُ

شَرابٌ وَشَمعٌ وَشَهدٌ وَشاهِد

شَرابٌ وَشَمعٌ وَشَهدٌ وَشاهِد

And there its words beginning with shīn are gathered:

And in which are gathered its beauties:

wine, candles, honey, and a fair-faced companion.

Wine, candle, sweetness and companion