قُلتُ لَمّا وَضَحَ الصُب

قُلتُ لَمّا وَضَحَ الصُب

حُ فَأَورى وَاِستَنارا

حُ فَأَورى وَاِستَنارا

I said, when dawn grew bright

When dawn broke clearly and became illuminated

I spoke when morning’s face grew clear,

then flared and shone,

And the pursuer of stars toward the horizon sank down,

And dawn ignited, blazing bright,

وَتَوَلّى تابِعُ النَج

وَتَوَلّى تابِعُ النَج

مِ إِلى الأُفقِ فَغارا

مِ إِلى الأُفقِ فَغارا

and the star's follower withdrew

And I saw the cock crow repeatedly at dawn,

And the star’s follower turned away,

toward the horizon and sank from sight,

I said, for Abu Bakr my bosom friend,

Sinking into the horizon's site,

وَرَأَيتُ الديكَ قَد صا

وَرَأَيتُ الديكَ قَد صا

حَ لَدى الصُبحِ مِرارا

حَ لَدى الصُبحِ مِرارا

and I saw that the rooster had crowed

Wherever he turned and walked,

And I saw the rooster calling out,

repeatedly at daybreak,

“This wine is open, so drink it openly, not in secret,

Crowing repeatedly at the light,

لِأَبي بِشرٍ خَليلي

لِأَبي بِشرٍ خَليلي

أَينَما وَلّى وَسارا

أَينَما وَلّى وَسارا

to Abu Bishr, my dear friend,

Not like one who hints about a matter when he fears disgrace.

To Abu Bishr, my faithful friend,

wherever he turned and went:

Drink it slowly, a remedy that takes away cares.

Wherever he wanders in his flight:

هَذِهِ الخَمرُ جِهاراً

هَذِهِ الخَمرُ جِهاراً

فَاِشرَبَنها لا سِرارا

فَاِشرَبَنها لا سِرارا

Here is wine, openly—

It leaves a man when he tastes it loosening his belt,

"This is the wine, exhibited,

so drink it, not in secret,

And seeing Friday like Saturday, and night like day.”

So drink it openly, not by slight,

لا كَمَن يُكني عَنِ الأَم

لا كَمَن يُكني عَنِ الأَم

رِ إِذا ما خافَ عارا

رِ إِذا ما خافَ عارا

not like one who speaks indirectly of a matter

Leave off blaming it, you who dislike it and insist on fleeing.

Unlike the one who speaks in code

when he fears disgrace.

He drinks water instead of wine, unwillingly and paltrily.

Whenever shame causes him fright.

وَاِشرَبَنها مُزَّةً تَذ

وَاِشرَبَنها مُزَّةً تَذ

هَبُ بِالهَمِّ عُقارا

هَبُ بِالهَمِّ عُقارا

And drink it tart—it carries

And divert it from Abu Ayyub when he lost his way and failed.

Drink it sharp—a vintage brew

cares away, this wine.

He sold wine for water. What a losing deal!

That puts all sorrows to flight,

تَترُكُ المَرءَ إِذا ما

تَترُكُ المَرءَ إِذا ما

ذاقَها يُرخي الإِزارا

ذاقَها يُرخي الإِزارا

It leaves a man, when

Like a buyer of a fine steed who got ahead of him with a donkey.

Leaving a man, once he has tasted,

he tastes it, loosening his waistcloth,

With belt undone and robe not tight,

وَيَرى الجُمعَةَ كَالسَب

وَيَرى الجُمعَةَ كَالسَب

تِ وَكَاللَيلِ النَهارا

تِ وَكَاللَيلِ النَهارا

and seeing Friday as Saturday,

Thinking that Friday is Saturday,

and daytime as night.

And mistaking day for the night.

وَاِترُكَن مَن لامَ فيها

وَاِترُكَن مَن لامَ فيها

وَأَبى إِلّا نِفارا

وَأَبى إِلّا نِفارا

And leave whoever finds fault with it

Ignore the one who casts the blame,

and insists on shunning it

Who shuns the cup in stubborn spite;

يَشرَبُ الماءَ مَكانَ ال

يَشرَبُ الماءَ مَكانَ ال

راحِ رَغماً وَصَغارا

راحِ رَغماً وَصَغارا

to drink water in place of

Let him drink water instead of wine,

wine, in abasement and humiliation.

In degradation and in plight.

وَاِصرِفَنها عَن أَبي أَي

وَاِصرِفَنها عَن أَبي أَي

يوبَ إِذ تاهَ فَخارا

يوبَ إِذ تاهَ فَخارا

And keep it away from Abu Ayyub,

And turn the cup from Abu Ayyub,

since he swaggered in pride.

Since he is lost in boastful height;

باعَ راحاً بِنَبيذٍ

باعَ راحاً بِنَبيذٍ

هَكَذا بَيعاً خَسارا

هَكَذا بَيعاً خَسارا

He sold wine for nabidh,

He sold pure wine for date-mash swill—

thus making a losing bargain,

A losing bargain, lacking foresight,

مِثلَ مُبتاعٍ بِطِرفٍ

مِثلَ مُبتاعٍ بِطِرفٍ

سَبَقَ الشَيلَ الحِمار

سَبَقَ الشَيلَ الحِمار

like one trading a thoroughbred

Like one who sells a racing steed

that outran [the flood?] for a donkey.

To buy a donkey, slow and slight."