دَعleave alone مَنwhoever يُقارِضُrepays أَقداحاًcups بِأَقداحِwith cups
دَع مَن يُقارِضُ أَقداحاً بِأَقداحِ
لَيسَis not المُروءَةُnobility of character سَقيَserving الراحِwine بِالراحِin return for wine
لَيسَ المُروءَةُ سَقيَ الراحِ بِالراحِ
Leave alone whoever repays cups with cups.
Leave be those who share drinks cup for cup
Leave aside the one who barters cup for cup,
Nobility of character is not serving wine in return for wine.
Honor is not in intoxicating oneself with wine
For true chivalry is not the pouring of wine.
عَهديmy recollection بِقَومٍof a people إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle حَلَّarrived زائِرُهُمtheir visitor
عَهدي بِقَومٍ إِذا ما حَلَّ زائِرُهُم
تَبادَرواthey hastened لِقِرىto offer hospitality to الضيفانِthe guests سُمّاحِopenhanded
تَبادَروا لِقِرى الضيفانِ سُمّاحِ
I recall a people who, whenever their visitor arrived,
My covenant is with a people who, when visited
I knew a people who, when a guest descended,
hastened, openhanded, to offer their guests hospitality.
Hasten with hospitality to welcome guests
Would race to grant him a generous welcome.
عاشواthey lived بِأَسيافِهِمby their swords فَتكاًslaying ruthlessly بِلاwithout مِنَنٍfavors
عاشوا بِأَسيافِهِم فَتكاً بِلا مِنَنٍ
مِنَfrom الأَراذِلِthe ignoble أَوor ماتواthey died بِأَرماحِby spears
مِنَ الأَراذِلِ أَو ماتوا بِأَرماحِ
They lived by their swords, slaying ruthlessly, without favors
Who lived by their swords, showing no mercy
They lived by their swords, beholden to no villain,
from the ignoble—or died by spears.
To the lowly, or died by their spears
Or else they met their death upon the spear.