ماwhat عُذْرُناour excuse فيfor حَبْسِناour holding back الأَكْواباthe cups
ما عُذْرُنا في حَبْسِنا الأَكْوابا
سَقَطَfell النَّدَىthe dew وَصَفاand cleared الهَواءُthe air وطاباand grew pleasant
سَقَطَ النَّدَى وَصَفا الهَواءُ وطابا
What excuse have we for holding back the cups?
The dew has fallen, and the air has cleared and grown pleasant.
ودَعاand called لحَيَّto 'come!' علىto الصَّبُوحِthe morning wine مُغَرِّداًtrilling
ودَعا لحَيَّ على الصَّبُوحِ مُغَرِّداً
دِيكُcock الصَّباحِthe morning فَهَيَّجso stirred الإِطْراباrapture
دِيكُ الصَّباحِ فَهَيَّج الإِطْرابا
And, trilling its call, 'Come to the morning wine,'
the morning cock stirred rapture.
وَكَأَنَّماand as though الصُّبْحُthe dawn المُنيرُradiant وقَدْand already بَداappeared
وَكَأَنَّما الصُّبْحُ المُنيرُ وقَدْ بَدا
بَازٌa falcon أَطارَsent flying مِنَof الظَّلامِthe darkness غُراباa raven
بَازٌ أَطارَ مِنَ الظَّلامِ غُرابا
And it is as though the radiant dawn, now risen,
were a falcon that sent a raven of darkness flying.
فَأَدِمْso sustain لَذاذَةَthe pleasure of عَيْشِناour life بِمُدامةٍwith wine
فَأَدِمْ لَذاذَةَ عَيْشِنا بِمُدامةٍ
زَادَتْincreased علىwith هَرَمِthe old age of الزَّمانِtime شَباباin youth
زَادَتْ على هَرَمِ الزَّمانِ شَبابا
So sustain the pleasure of our life with wine
that has grown more youthful as time has grown old.
سَفَرَتْshe unveiled herself فَغارَso grew jealous حَبابُهاher bubbles منof لَحْظِناour gaze
سَفَرَتْ فَغارَ حَبابُها من لَحْظِنا
فَعَلاso rose over مَحاسِنَهاher charms وَصَارَand became نِقاباa veil
فَعَلا مَحاسِنَها وَصَارَ نِقابا
She unveiled herself; her bubbles grew jealous of our gaze,
so they rose over her charms and became a veil.