غدوتُ على خمر ورحتُ إلى خمرِ

غدوتُ على خمر ورحتُ إلى خمرِ

وأقبلتُ من سُكرٍ أميلُ إلى سكرِ

وأقبلتُ من سُكرٍ أميلُ إلى سكرِ

I went in the morning to wine, and in the evening to wine.

I rose with wine and went to wine,

I went forth upon wine, and returned unto wine,

And I came from one drunkenness, leaning toward another.

And came intoxicated, leaning to intoxication.

Coming from intoxication, swaying into intoxication.

ولم أرَ مثلي لا تزال ركابهُ

ولم أرَ مثلي لا تزال ركابهُ

على سفرٍ من غير برّ ولا بحرِ

على سفرٍ من غير برّ ولا بحرِ

And I have seen none like me, whose mounts are forever

I've seen none like me, whose mounts

I have seen none like me, whose mounts remain

on a journey over neither land nor sea.

Still travel on without land or sea.

On a journey bereft of both land and sea.

إليّ فلم يكبُ إذا ما حملتهُ

إليّ فلم يكبُ إذا ما حملتهُ

على بطنِ قرطاسٍ ويعنقُ في الظهر

على بطنِ قرطاسٍ ويعنقُ في الظهر

Toward me—and it did not stumble when I carried it

When I carry him on a sheet of paper

It stumbles not when I set it to ride

on the belly of a sheet of paper, and it trots along the back.

He clings behind my back.

Upon the belly of the scroll, galloping across its back.

ولستُ له حتى المماتِ بسائمٍ

ولستُ له حتى المماتِ بسائمٍ

وإن هو أزرى بالمروءةِ والوفرِ

وإن هو أزرى بالمروءةِ والوفرِ

And I shall not tire of it until death,

Until death I'll not abandon him,

I shall not grow weary of it until death,

even if it detracts from honor and wealth.

Though he's ungenerous with manliness and plenty.

Though it may lay waste to my honor and wealth.