لَمّاwhen تَبَدّىappeared وَجهُهُhis face
لَمّا تَبَدّى وَجهُهُ
كَالبَدرِlike the full moon مِنthrough خَلَلِgaps in الغَمامِthe clouds
كَالبَدرِ مِن خَلَلِ الغَمامِ
When his face appeared,
When his face appeared,
like the full moon through rifts in the clouds,
like the full moon through gaps in the clouds,
وَكَأَنَّهُand as though he were ضَوءُthe light of الصَباdawn (word continues)
وَكَأَنَّهُ ضَوءُ الصَبا
حِcompletion of 'dawn' يَميسُhe sways gracefully فيin خِلَعِrobes of honor الظَلامِdarkness
حِ يَميسُ في خِلَعِ الظَلامِ
as though it were the morning light,
and as though he were the light of dawn,
swaying in the robes of darkness,
swaying in robes of darkness,
آثَرتُI preferred طاعَةَobedience to حُبِّهِlove for him
آثَرتُ طاعَةَ حُبِّهِ
وَاِختَرتُand I chose مَعصِيَةَdisobedience to المُدامِwine
وَاِختَرتُ مَعصِيَةَ المُدامِ
I chose obedience to my love for him
I preferred to obey my love for him
and chose to disobey the wine.
and chose to defy wine.
لاnot أَستَفيدُI gain مِنَfrom المُداwine (word continues)
لا أَستَفيدُ مِنَ المُدا
مِcompletion of 'wine' سِوىexcept مُنادَمَةِdrinking with الكِرامِthe noble
مِ سِوى مُنادَمَةِ الكِرامِ
From wine I gain no benefit
I gain nothing from wine
save the fellowship of noble men.
except drinking with the noble.
فَإِذاso when حَنَنتُI long إِلىfor النُداthe drinking companions (word continues)
فَإِذا حَنَنتُ إِلى النُدا
مِcompletion of 'drinking companions' فَقَدthen indeed حَنَنتُI long إِلىfor المُدامِwine
مِ فَقَد حَنَنتُ إِلى المُدامِ
So when I yearn for boon companions,
So when I long for drinking companions,
I have indeed yearned for wine.
I am indeed longing for wine.
خُلُقُthe character of النَديمِthe drinking companion إِذاwhen صَفاis pure
خُلُقُ النَديمِ إِذا صَفا
أَغناكَit spares you the need عَنfor صَفوِthe purest part of المُدامِwine
أَغناكَ عَن صَفوِ المُدامِ
When a companion’s character is pure,
When a drinking companion's character is pure,
it frees you from any need for pure wine.
it spares you the need for pure wine.
