داعي الصَبُوح دَعا إِلى الصَهباءِ

داعي الصَبُوح دَعا إِلى الصَهباءِ

وَالوَقتُ راقَ بِقاعة الوَعساءِ

وَالوَقتُ راقَ بِقاعة الوَعساءِ

The herald of the morning draught issued a call to tawny wine,

The morning caller called to the empty wilderness,

And the hour was pleasant in the hall of al-Waʿsāʾ,

And time slipped by in the hall of sorrow.

ما بَينَ وَرديّ وَجنةٍ جالَ النَدى

ما بَينَ وَرديّ وَجنةٍ جالَ النَدى

فيهِ وَآخر يجتليهِ الرائي

فيهِ وَآخر يجتليهِ الرائي

Amid two roses—a cheek, with dew wandering

Dew wandered between roses and gardens,

Across it, and another that the beholder contemplates—

Illuminating them for the onlooker.

وَمدامَةٍ راض المِزاج مِزاجُها

وَمدامَةٍ راض المِزاج مِزاجُها

فَغَدَت تُثيرُ الشَوقَ في الأَحشاءِ

فَغَدَت تُثيرُ الشَوقَ في الأَحشاءِ

And wine whose admixture had tamed the temperament,

A goblet with a pleasing temper soothed,

So it began to stir longing in the body's depths,

Stirring yearning in the core.

مِن كَفِّ ساقٍ أَهيَفٍ حُلوِ اللَمى

مِن كَفِّ ساقٍ أَهيَفٍ حُلوِ اللَمى

يَرنُو إِلَيكَ بِمُقلَةٍ حَوراءِ

يَرنُو إِلَيكَ بِمُقلَةٍ حَوراءِ

From the hand of a slender-waisted cupbearer with sweet, dusky lips,

From the palm of a tender, smooth-skinned hand

Who gazes at you with an eye of brilliant white and deep black,

That gestures to you with a Houri's glance.

كَالبَدرِ لَيلَةَ تِمّه فَكَأَنّما

كَالبَدرِ لَيلَةَ تِمّه فَكَأَنّما

رَبُّ البَريّةِ صاغَهُ مِن ماءِ

رَبُّ البَريّةِ صاغَهُ مِن ماءِ

Like the full moon on the night of its fullness—as though

Like the full moon on its brightest night,

The Lord of creation had fashioned him from water.

As though the Lord of the wilderness molded it from water.

فَأَجب أَخاكَ وَلا تَكُن مُتَوانِياً

فَأَجب أَخاكَ وَلا تَكُن مُتَوانِياً

وَاِغنَم لَذيذَ العَيشِ قَبلَ تَناءِ

وَاِغنَم لَذيذَ العَيشِ قَبلَ تَناءِ

So answer your brother, and do not delay,

So answer your brother, do not hesitate,

And seize the sweetness of life before parting.

And enjoy the sweetness of life before it passes.