قد عَصَيْنا النُّهَى فكيف النُّهاتَا

قد عَصَيْنا النُّهَى فكيف النُّهاتَا

وأَطَعْنَا الصِّبا فيكف الصُّباتا

وأَطَعْنَا الصِّبا فيكف الصُّباتا

We have defied reason—what then of the forbidders?

We disobeyed advice, so how can we avoid perdition?

And obeyed youthful passion—what then of the lovers?

We obeyed youthful passion, so how can we curb excesses?

وخشِينا فواتَ لَذَّةِ عيشٍ

وخشِينا فواتَ لَذَّةِ عيشٍ

قَلَّما ساعدَ الخليعَ مُوَاتَى

قَلَّما ساعدَ الخليعَ مُوَاتَى

And feared to lose the pleasure of living;

We feared missing out on the joys of life,

Seldom does a willing helper favor the libertine.

Though the dissolute are seldom aided by death.

فالسُّقاةَ السُّقاةَ أَسعدكَ الل

فالسُّقاةَ السُّقاةَ أَسعدكَ الل

ه على حَثِّكَ السُّقاة السُّقاتا

ه على حَثِّكَ السُّقاة السُّقاتا

Then the cupbearers, the cupbearers! May God bless you

Let the cupbearers, the cupbearers bring more wine,

For urging on the cupbearers—the cupbearers!

God bless your pressing them for more, O cupbearers!

هاتِ بنتَ الكرومِ واستعِملِ اللحْ

هاتِ بنتَ الكرومِ واستعِملِ اللحْ

ن لمعنىً عندي وقُلْ لِيَ هاتَا

ن لمعنىً عندي وقُلْ لِيَ هاتَا

Bring the vineyards' daughter, and employ the melody

Bring jars of wine and prepare the vine-juice;

For a meaning I have in mind; tell me, 'Bring it!'

Speak meaningfully and say “Give me some!”

عَلَّمَ المُعْجِزُ المسيحيُّ عينَيْ

عَلَّمَ المُعْجِزُ المسيحيُّ عينَيْ

هِ فأَحْيَا بلَحْظِها أَوْ أَماتا

هِ فأَحْيَا بلَحْظِها أَوْ أَماتا

The Christian miracle-worker trained his two eyes,

The miracle-working Messiah taught his eyes

So with their glance he gave life or dealt death.

To resurrect or else destroy with a glance.

فأَدارَ الكؤوسَ تُلْهِي عن الهَمِّ

فأَدارَ الكؤوسَ تُلْهِي عن الهَمِّ

سريعاً وما يَجوز اللَّهَاتا

سريعاً وما يَجوز اللَّهَاتا

He passed the cups, which banish care

So he turned the cups around to distract from cares

Swiftly, without even passing the uvula.

Swiftly—no shame in that, nothing sinful at all.

ما ركبْنَا منها الكُمَيْتَ فثُرْنَا

ما ركبْنَا منها الكُمَيْتَ فثُرْنَا

في نواحِي الهُمومِ إِلا كُماتا

في نواحِي الهُمومِ إِلا كُماتا

We never mounted its chestnut wine and charged

When we rode the wineskin, we were scattered

Into the domains of care except as armored warriors.

In the regions of worries—all confounded.

أَيُّها العاذِلُ المُفَنِّدُ فيها

أَيُّها العاذِلُ المُفَنِّدُ فيها

لاتَ حينَ الملام وَيْحَكَ لاتَا

لاتَ حينَ الملام وَيْحَكَ لاتَا

O you who reproach and fault us over it,

You who find fault and argue it worthless,

This is no time for blame—woe to you, no time!

Woe to you, in blame, alas, enough, enough!

جَعَلَتْنَا المدامُ نُصْبِحُ أَحيا

جَعَلَتْنَا المدامُ نُصْبِحُ أَحيا

ءً ونُمْسِي في حُكْمِها أَمواتا

ءً ونُمْسِي في حُكْمِها أَمواتا

Wine has made us wake alive

Wine has made us wake up alive

And reach evening dead beneath her sway.

And sleep subject to its rule as dead.

فإِذا ما سَأَلْتَ عنِّي فاسْأَلْ

فإِذا ما سَأَلْتَ عنِّي فاسْأَلْ

كيف أُضْحِي ولا تَسَلْ كيفَ باتا

كيف أُضْحِي ولا تَسَلْ كيفَ باتا

So if you ask about me, ask

So if you ask after me, just ask

How I greet the day, not how I spent the night.

How I sacrificed; don’t ask how I slept.

ليَ كالنَّخْلَةِ السَّحوقِ حديثٌ

ليَ كالنَّخْلَةِ السَّحوقِ حديثٌ

غَيْرَ أَنِّي كما غَرَسْتُ النَّواتا

غَيْرَ أَنِّي كما غَرَسْتُ النَّواتا

My tale is like a towering palm,

I’m like a palm tree worn down by talk,

Yet I am as I was when I planted the date-stone.

Except I never planted seeds.

كنتُ لا أَرْهَبُ الليوثَ وقددا

كنتُ لا أَرْهَبُ الليوثَ وقددا

رَزمانِي حَتَّى رَهِيْتُ الشَّاتا

رَزمانِي حَتَّى رَهِيْتُ الشَّاتا

Once I feared no lions; yet now has turned

Once I did not fear lions, though fate

My fortune, until I feared a sheep.

Had crushed me until I feared jackals.

وَلَوَ آنِّي قذفتُ يوما حَصَاةً

وَلَوَ آنِّي قذفتُ يوما حَصَاةً

بِيَدَيْ فِطْنَتِي أَصَبْتُ الحَصَاتَا

بِيَدَيْ فِطْنَتِي أَصَبْتُ الحَصَاتَا

If one day I were to cast a pebble

And if one day I flung a pebble

With the hands of my wit, I would hit the pebble.

With the skill of my intellect, I'd hit a boulder.

قُلْ لمَنْ مَا لَهُ سِلاحٌ يَدَعْ من

قُلْ لمَنْ مَا لَهُ سِلاحٌ يَدَعْ من

جَرَّدَ العضبَ واسْتَجَرَّ القناتا

جَرَّدَ العضبَ واسْتَجَرَّ القناتا

Tell whoever has no weapon to leave alone the man

Say to him with no weapon he should leave off

Who unsheathed the keen sword and drew forth the spear.

One who bared his canine and bared his blade.

وهنياً له أبو القاسم النَّدْ

وهنياً له أبو القاسم النَّدْ

بُ نهانِي بما أَقولُ النُّهَاتا

بُ نهانِي بما أَقولُ النُّهَاتا

And good fortune to him—Abu al-Qasim the noble!

I end my words of blame, enough, enough!

The forbidders forbade me because of what I say.

He is an ocean, and no envier can trouble it

هو بَحْرٌ وما يُكَدِّرُهُ الحا

هو بَحْرٌ وما يُكَدِّرُهُ الحا

سِدُ أَنْ باتَ فِيه يُلْقِي القَذَاتا

سِدُ أَنْ باتَ فِيه يُلْقِي القَذَاتا

He is a sea, not muddied by the envious man,

If he spits in it, just bubbles on the surface.

Though he spends the night casting dirt into it.

Slanderers have tried to incite him against me,

قد سَعَى بي الوشاةُ نحو عُلاهُ

قد سَعَى بي الوشاةُ نحو عُلاهُ

فسعَوْا لي فلا عَدِمْتُ الوشاتا

فسعَوْا لي فلا عَدِمْتُ الوشاتا

The slanderers carried tales against me to his lofty station,

But they incited me, so I did not lack incitement.

Yet worked for me—may I never lack such slanderers!

They provoked suspicion of me in him, and thought

حَرَّكوا لي الشَّباةَ منه وظنُّوا

حَرَّكوا لي الشَّباةَ منه وظنُّوا

أَنهم جرَّدوا عَلَيَّ الشَّباتا

أَنهم جرَّدوا عَلَيَّ الشَّباتا

They stirred his bounty on my behalf, thinking

They provoked him against me.

They had unsheathed blades against me.

So he called me from Palermo, and I answered,

فَدَعَا من بَلَرْمَ حَجِّي فلبَّيْ

فَدَعَا من بَلَرْمَ حَجِّي فلبَّيْ

تُ وَكانَتْ سُرْقُوسَةَ الميقاتا

تُ وَكانَتْ سُرْقُوسَةَ الميقاتا

From Palermo he called me to pilgrimage, and I answered;

Though Syracuse was the appointed place.

And Syracuse was the appointed station.

I crossed the desert, plunging into terror,

وامتَطْيُت الفلاةَ أَقْتَحِمُ الهو

وامتَطْيُت الفلاةَ أَقْتَحِمُ الهو

لَ وَلولاهُ مَا امتطيْتُ الفلاتا

لَ وَلولاهُ مَا امتطيْتُ الفلاتا

I rode the wilderness, plunging into terror;

Without him, I'd not have crossed the deserts.

But for him, I would never have ridden the wastes.

In mountains where winter resides

فِي جبالٍ أَرسى الشتاءُ عليها

فِي جبالٍ أَرسى الشتاءُ عليها

قاطناً لا يخافُ عنها الشَّتاتا

قاطناً لا يخافُ عنها الشَّتاتا

Across mountains where winter had anchored itself,

Permanently, fearing no departures,

Dwelling there without fear of being scattered away.

Every rising sun a mountaineer climbs

كلُّ سامِي الذُّرى تُسَامِقُه الشم

كلُّ سامِي الذُّرى تُسَامِقُه الشم

سُ فيعتدُّ نحوَها مِرْقاتا

سُ فيعتدُّ نحوَها مِرْقاتا

Each lofty summit is rivaled in height by the sun,

Aspiring towards it with steps.

And is reckoned a stairway up to her.

It’s said "Ride off on a journey in zeal,

وقيلٌ أَن يركَبَ الركْبَ في السَّعْ

وقيلٌ أَن يركَبَ الركْبَ في السَّعْ

يِ لمغناهُ المَوْتَ لا المَوْماتا

يِ لمغناهُ المَوْتَ لا المَوْماتا

And a lord for whom the caravan, in its quest

Not for your singing, but for death."

For his abode, should ride death, not desert wastes.

He swore and asked God to bear witness

وَهْوَ قَدْ جَدَّ واسْتَجَدَّ على شَرْ

وَهْوَ قَدْ جَدَّ واسْتَجَدَّ على شَرْ

طِ أَبُوَّاتِهِ وقال وماتا

طِ أَبُوَّاتِهِ وقال وماتا

He had striven and begun afresh, in keeping with

To his oath—and died.

His forefathers' rule; he spoke and died.

We shared the place of a passing raincloud;

واقتسمنا مكانَ عارِضِ غيثٍ

واقتسمنا مكانَ عارِضِ غيثٍ

عِشْتُ في ظلَّهِ وكنتُ النَّباتا

عِشْتُ في ظلَّهِ وكنتُ النَّباتا

We shared the place of a rain-bearing cloud;

I lived in its shade; I was its vegetation.

I lived in his shade and was the growing plants.

Ease there required that my day become Sabbath,

واقْتَضَتْ عنده الرَّفاهَةُ أَنِّي

واقْتَضَتْ عنده الرَّفاهَةُ أَنِّي

صارَ يومي سَبْتاً ونَوْمِي سُباتا

صارَ يومي سَبْتاً ونَوْمِي سُباتا

The ease I found with him brought it about that

My sleep an unawakening slumber.

My day became a Sabbath, and my sleep deep repose.

I penetrated languages of diverse peoples,

وتَبَحَّرْتُ في لغاتِ أُناسٍ

وتَبَحَّرْتُ في لغاتِ أُناسٍ

لَمْ تَزَلْ عَنْ مَسَامِعِي مُلْغَاتا

لَمْ تَزَلْ عَنْ مَسَامِعِي مُلْغَاتا

I became deeply versed in the languages of people

Ever a jargon to my hearing.

Whose tongues had always been excluded from my ears.

I failed in loyalty toward him, but without

قد عدمتُ الوفاءَ منمهم ولولا

قد عدمتُ الوفاءَ منمهم ولولا

عَطْفَةٌ منه ما عَدِمْتُ الوَفَاتا

عَطْفَةٌ منه ما عَدِمْتُ الوَفَاتا

I found no fidelity among them; and but for

His kindness, I'd have lacked all loyalty.

A kindness from him, I would not have escaped death.

Then I greeted his face, beholding a shyness

ثم حَيَّيْتُ وجْهَهُ فتأَمل

ثم حَيَّيْتُ وجْهَهُ فتأَمل

تُ حياءً يُولِي الحَيَا والحياتا

تُ حياءً يُولِي الحَيَا والحياتا

Then I greeted his face and contemplated

That turns the living's cheeks to turn pale.

A modesty that bestows rain and life.

A bounty fulfilling promises; a sultan

كرمٌ ينجِزُ العِداتِ وسلطا

كرمٌ ينجِزُ العِداتِ وسلطا

نٌ على رسمه يُبيدُ العُداتا

نٌ على رسمه يُبيدُ العُداتا

Generosity that fulfills promises, and a sovereign

To his custom destroying those hostile;

Who, true to his custom, destroys the enemies.

He examines disease and, when they say,

يرقبُ الداءَ والدّواءَ إِذا ما

يرقبُ الداءَ والدّواءَ إِذا ما

قيلَ قَد قَرَّبُوا إِليهِ الدَّواتا

قيلَ قَد قَرَّبُوا إِليهِ الدَّواتا

One awaits sickness and cure whenever

“The remedies are near,” cures are brought.

It is said, 'They have brought him the inkwell.'

His open hands in the West are strange,

ويداهُ في الغَرْبِ أَغْرَبُ شيءٍ

ويداهُ في الغَرْبِ أَغْرَبُ شيءٍ

ما تَرَى النَّيلَ منهما والفُراتا

ما تَرَى النَّيلَ منهما والفُراتا

And his two hands are the most wondrous thing in the West:

You see neither Nile nor Euphrates in them.

Do you not see the Nile and Euphrates flowing from them?

And bonds in God well knotted, so nothing

وحبالٍ في الله رَثَّتْ فما با

وحبالٍ في الله رَثَّتْ فما با

تَ إِلى أَنْ لَمْ يُبْق منها انْبِتَاتا

تَ إِلى أَنْ لَمْ يُبْق منها انْبِتَاتا

Bonds in God had frayed; he did not rest

Remained of them but the plaited ends.

Until he left no severance among them.

Of Quraysh, who are the mountain of glory

مِنْ قُرَيْشَ الذين هُمْ جَبَلُ الفخ

مِنْ قُرَيْشَ الذين هُمْ جَبَلُ الفخ

رِ إِذَا كان غَيْرُهُمْ مِرْدَاتا

رِ إِذَا كان غَيْرُهُمْ مِرْدَاتا

Of Quraysh, who are the mountain of pride,

While others are but lowlands,

When all others are but a throwing stone.

Deemed foremost in excellence those who worship

عُدَّ مِنهُمْ في السَّبْقِ مَنْ يَعْبُدُ الل

عُدَّ مِنهُمْ في السَّبْقِ مَنْ يَعْبُدُ الل

هَ تعالَتْ صِفاتُه واللاَّتا

هَ تعالَتْ صِفاتُه واللاَّتا

Count among their foremost those who worship God—

God—Exalted His Attributes and His Uniqueness!

Exalted are His attributes—and al-Lat.

Not those whose ties have died, while he

لا كَمَنْ ماتَتِ المَنَاسِبُ منهُ

لا كَمَنْ ماتَتِ المَنَاسِبُ منهُ

فَهْوَ يُحْيِي أَرضَ المِحالِ المَوَاتا

فَهْوَ يُحْيِي أَرضَ المِحالِ المَوَاتا

Not like one whose ancestral ties have died,

Gives life to the land of impossibility.

Who revives the dead soil of deceit.

If glory took shape, he'd be its barefoot

لو غَدَا المَجْدُ صُورَةً كان منها

لو غَدَا المَجْدُ صُورَةً كان منها

أَخْمَصاً حافِياً وكُنْتَ الشَّواتَا

أَخْمَصاً حافِياً وكُنْتَ الشَّواتَا

If glory took bodily form, he would be its

Ragamuffin while you were the boot.

Barefoot sole, and you the crown of its head.

And I am he who clarifies evidence in words

وأَنا المُوضِحُ الدَّليلَ بلَفْظٍ

وأَنا المُوضِحُ الدَّليلَ بلَفْظٍ

ما ارتضى تُوضِيحاً ولا المِقراتا

ما ارتضى تُوضِيحاً ولا المِقراتا

And I make the proof clear in language

Never satisfied by clarifying or repeating.

That has chosen neither Tudih nor al-Miqrat.

I have a nature the rhymes came to readily,

لِيَ طَبْعٌ لانَتْ لديهِ القوافي

لِيَ طَبْعٌ لانَتْ لديهِ القوافي

فلوِ اختارَ لم يَدَعْ بَعْدُ هاتا

فلوِ اختارَ لم يَدَعْ بَعْدُ هاتا

I have a gift before which rhymes grow pliant;

So if it chose, afterward it would leave nothing.

If it chose, it would leave no rhyme beyond this one.