نَزِّه صَبوحَكَ عَن مَقالِ العُذَّلِ

نَزِّه صَبوحَكَ عَن مَقالِ العُذَّلِ

ما العَيشُ إِلّا في الرَحيقِ السَلسَلِ

ما العَيشُ إِلّا في الرَحيقِ السَلسَلِ

Keep your morning draught free of the faultfinders' talk.

Grace your morn with a mind aloof from spite's decrees,

Raise your morning draught above the words of critics,

Life lies only in pure, smooth-flowing wine.

Since life is naught but sipping the smooth subtle breeze.

For there is no life save in the smooth, pure wine.

ما العَيشُ إِلّا أَن تُباكِرَ شُربَها

ما العَيشُ إِلّا أَن تُباكِرَ شُربَها

صَفراءَ زُفَّت مِن قُرى قُطرَبُّلِ

صَفراءَ زُفَّت مِن قُرى قُطرَبُّلِ

Life is only to begin drinking it early in the morning—

Life is naught but drinking it betimes at break of morn,

There is no life save in hastening to drink it,

A golden wine, escorted as a bride from the villages of Qutrabbul.

Golden, distilled midst the homesteads Qatrabul loved.

A golden vintage, ushered from the villages of Qutrabbul.

تُهدي لِقَلبِ المُستَكينِ تَخَيُّلاً

تُهدي لِقَلبِ المُستَكينِ تَخَيُّلاً

وَتُلينُ قَلبَ البازِخِ المُتَخَيِّلِ

وَتُلينُ قَلبَ البازِخِ المُتَخَيِّلِ

It brings pride to the heart of the meek,

For the stricken's heart it pictures a dream's caprice,

It grants the submissive heart a sense of pride,

And softens the heart of the haughty, conceited man.

And softens the aloof's obdurate fantasies.

And softens the heart of the arrogant and high.

وَكَأَنَّ شارِبَها لِطيبِ نَسيمِها

وَكَأَنَّ شارِبَها لِطيبِ نَسيمِها

وافَت مَشارِبُهُ سَحابُ قَرَنفُلِ

وافَت مَشارِبُهُ سَحابُ قَرَنفُلِ

And it is as though its drinker, because of its sweet fragrance,

As if its drinker through its sweet breath's waft,

As if the one who drinks it, from its sweet aroma,

Had clouds of cloves visit his drinking places.

Met at his sipping places clouds of carnations.

Found his cup engulfed by clouds of cloves.

وَلَقَد دَخَلتُ عَلى الكَواعِبِ حُسَّراً

وَلَقَد دَخَلتُ عَلى الكَواعِبِ حُسَّراً

فَلَقينَني بِتَبَسُّمٍ وَتَهَلُّلِ

فَلَقينَني بِتَبَسُّمٍ وَتَهَلُّلِ

And indeed I went in to the unveiled, full-breasted maidens;

Once through the damsels' curtains I thrust me fain,

I once entered upon young maidens, unveiled and at ease,

So they greeted me with smiles and radiant delight.

Smiles and bright glances met me in that bower.

And they met me with smiles and jubilation.

فَأَصَبتُ مِن طُرَفِ الحَديثِ لَذاذَةً

فَأَصَبتُ مِن طُرَفِ الحَديثِ لَذاذَةً

وَأَصَبنَها مِنّي وَلَمّا أَجهَلِ

وَأَصَبنَها مِنّي وَلَمّا أَجهَلِ

So I found pleasure in the pleasantries of conversation,

From the talk I chanced on a savour of delight,

I savored the delightful witticisms of our talk,

And they gained it from me, while I had not yet acted foolishly.

And the speaker knew of me — I knew naught of her plight.

As they did from me, yet I did not act the fool.