عَلَّلاني وَاِسقِياني

عَلَّلاني وَاِسقِياني

مِن شَرابٍ أَصبَهاني

مِن شَرابٍ أَصبَهاني

Beguile me, you two, and give me drink,

Tempt me and offer me

Of Isfahani wine,

A drink from Aṣbahān,

مِن شَرابِ الشَيخِ كِسرى

مِن شَرابِ الشَيخِ كِسرى

أَو شَرابِ القَيرَوانِ

أَو شَرابِ القَيرَوانِ

Of the wine of old Kisra,

A drink from the Sheikh Kisrā's cellar,

Or the wine of Kairouan.

Or a drink from Kairouan.

وَاِمزِجِ الكَأسَ وَلا تُك

وَاِمزِجِ الكَأسَ وَلا تُك

ثِر مِزاجَ العَسقَلاني

ثِر مِزاجَ العَسقَلاني

And mix the cup, but do not add too

Mix the cup but don't overdo

Much of the Ascalonian admixture.

The Anfalān mixture.

إِنَّ بِالكَأسِ لَمِسكاً

إِنَّ بِالكَأسِ لَمِسكاً

أَو بِكَفّي مَن سَقاني

أَو بِكَفّي مَن سَقاني

Surely there is musk in the cup,

In the cup there is musk,

Or in the palms of the one who gave me drink,

Or in my palm the water-pourer.

أَو لَقَد غودِرَ فيها

أَو لَقَد غودِرَ فيها

حينَ صُبَّت في الدِنانِ

حينَ صُبَّت في الدِنانِ

Or it was indeed left in it

It was surely tempered

When the wine was poured into the jars.

When it was poured into the jars.

كَلَّلاني تَوِّجاني

كَلَّلاني تَوِّجاني

وَبِشِعري غَنِّياني

وَبِشِعري غَنِّياني

Garland me, crown me,

Crown me, adorn me,

And sing to me with my poetry.

And with my hair sing my praises.

أَطلِقاني بِوِثاقي

أَطلِقاني بِوِثاقي

وَاِشدُداني بِعِناني

وَاِشدُداني بِعِناني

Set me free with my bonds,

Release my shackles

And bind me with my rein.

And tighten my reins,

إَنَّما الكَأسُ رَبيعٌ

إَنَّما الكَأسُ رَبيعٌ

يُتَعاطى بِالبَنانِ

يُتَعاطى بِالبَنانِ

The cup is but springtime,

For the cup is but a spring

Passed around with the fingertips.

To be sipped through the branches.

وَحُمَيّا الكَأسِ دَبَّت

وَحُمَيّا الكَأسِ دَبَّت

بَينَ رِجلي وَلِساني

بَينَ رِجلي وَلِساني

And the cup’s intoxicating heat has crept

The cup’s ardour crept

Between my foot and my tongue.

Between my legs and my tongue.