أُنْظُرْ إلى مجلس أُنْسٍ زَها

أُنْظُرْ إلى مجلس أُنْسٍ زَها

لِصاحبٍ زارَ وخلٍّ يَزورُ

لِصاحبٍ زارَ وخلٍّ يَزورُ

Behold a radiant gathering of fellowship,

Behold a gathering of fellowship, resplendent

for a companion who has visited and a friend who still visits.

for a companion who has come and a dear friend who comes.

قد قُصِرَ الحسنُ عليه فما

قد قُصِرَ الحسنُ عليه فما

ترى بحمد الله فيه قصور

ترى بحمد الله فيه قصور

All beauty has been confined to it, so

Beauty has been confined to it, and so

by God’s grace, you see no defect within it.

you see, praise be to God, no flaw in it.

لا أحضَرَ الله ثقيلاً به

لا أحضَرَ الله ثقيلاً به

ما دامَت الأحباب فيه حضور

ما دامَت الأحباب فيه حضور

May God never bring a tiresome guest there,

May God bring no bore into it

so long as the beloved friends are present—

so long as loved ones are present there.

إنْ بزغَت شمس الحميا وإنْ

إنْ بزغَت شمس الحميا وإنْ

طافَتْ بكاسات المدام البدور

طافَتْ بكاسات المدام البدور

when the sun of fiery wine rises and

If the sun of heady wine rises, and if

full moons circle with goblets of vintage wine;

full moons make the rounds with goblets of wine,

وغابَ مَن قد سَرَّنا فقْدُه

وغابَ مَن قد سَرَّنا فقْدُه

وأُرْخِيَتْ دون الوشاة الستور

وأُرْخِيَتْ دون الوشاة الستور

when he whose absence delights us is gone,

and the one whose absence delighted us has gone,

and curtains are drawn against the informers:

and curtains are drawn against the slanderers—

داراً أُعِدَّتْ بعدما زُخْرِفَتْ

داراً أُعِدَّتْ بعدما زُخْرِفَتْ

لقهوةٍ تُسقى وساقٍ يدور

لقهوةٍ تُسقى وساقٍ يدور

a house prepared after it was adorned

a house made ready after being adorned

for wine to be served and a cupbearer to make his rounds.

for wine to be served and a cupbearer to make his rounds—

فاشرب على زخرفها قهوةً

فاشرب على زخرفها قهوةً

مَضَتْ عليها بالهناء العصور

مَضَتْ عليها بالهناء العصور

So drink, amid its splendor, a wine

then, amid its splendor, drink wine

over which the ages have passed in bliss.

over which ages have passed in bliss.

فإنْ تكنْ في شربها آثماً

فإنْ تكنْ في شربها آثماً

فربُّك الله العفوُّ الغفور

فربُّك الله العفوُّ الغفور

And if you should sin by drinking it,

And if you are sinful in drinking it,

your Lord is God, the Pardoning, the All-Forgiving.

then your Lord is God, the Pardoning, the Forgiving.

واغتنِم اللّذاتِ من مثلها

واغتنِم اللّذاتِ من مثلها

في نعمةٍ لكلّ عبدٍ شكور

في نعمةٍ لكلّ عبدٍ شكور

Seize the pleasures offered by its like,

And seize the pleasures of wine like this,

as a blessing for every grateful servant.

amid bounty for every grateful servant.

سُرَّتْ به أحبابنا كلُّها

سُرَّتْ به أحبابنا كلُّها

وأرَّخَتْه ذا محلّ السرور

وأرَّخَتْه ذا محلّ السرور

All our beloved friends rejoiced in it

All our dear friends were gladdened by it

and dated it: “This is the abode of joy.”

and marked its date: “This is the abode of joy.”