هَذَا وَرُبَّ مُسِوَّفينَ صَبَحتُهُم
مِن خَمرِ بابِلَ لَذَّةً لِلشَّارِبِ
This too: many who kept saying “later” I served at dawn
This—and many a dallying man have I served a morning draught,
with Babylonian wine—a delight to the drinker.
Of Babylon's wine, a delight to the drinker.
بَكَروُا عَلَيَّ بسَحرَةٍ فصَبَحتُهُم
بإِنَاءِ ذي كَرمٍ كَقَعبِ الحالِبِ
They came to me early, in the hour before dawn; so I served them
They came to me early, before dawn, so I served them a morning draught,
with a vessel containing wine, like a milker’s bowl,
In an ample vessel, like a milker's bowl,
بِزُجاجَةٍ مِلءِ اليَدَينِ كأَنَّها
قِنديلُ فُصحٍ في كَنيسَةِ راهِبِ
a glass flask filling both hands, as though it were
In a glass bottle filling both hands, as though it were
an Easter lamp in a monk’s church.
An Easter lamp in a monk's church.
Sol 6.1