قُل لِنَدامايَ وَجُلّاسي

قُل لِنَدامايَ وَجُلّاسي

هَل لِيَ مِن عَبدَةَ مِن آسِ

هَل لِيَ مِن عَبدَةَ مِن آسِ

Say to my drinking companions and those who sit with me:

Say to my regrets and those seated around,

Say to my drinking companions and sitting friends,

Is there anyone to heal me of ʿAbdah,

Do I have any devoted slaves,

Is there any healer for me regarding Abdah?

أَو قائِلٍ يُخبِرُها حالِفاً

أَو قائِلٍ يُخبِرُها حالِفاً

أَن لَيسَ مِنها بِيَ مِن باسِ

أَن لَيسَ مِنها بِيَ مِن باسِ

Or someone to tell her, under oath,

Or someone to inform them sincerely,

Or a messenger to tell her, swearing on oath,

That I have suffered no harm from her?

That I have no need of them.

That I harbor no ill will on her account?

فَراجِعي الوَصلَ فَإِن زُرتُكُم

فَراجِعي الوَصلَ فَإِن زُرتُكُم

قَدرَ فِراقٍ فَاِحلِقي راسي

قَدرَ فِراقٍ فَاِحلِقي راسي

So renew our bond; if I visit you

So turn back to reunion, for if you visit me,

So restore our bond—for if I visit you

For a parting’s span, then shave my head.

The ordained separation will shave my head,

Briefly as a parting, then shave my head in shame.

أَو لا فَفيمَ الصَدُّ عَن عاشِقٍ

أَو لا فَفيمَ الصَدُّ عَن عاشِقٍ

لَيسَ لَكُم ما عاشَ بِالناسي

لَيسَ لَكُم ما عاشَ بِالناسي

Or, if not, why turn away from a lover

Or else why prevent a lover

If not, then why this turning away from a lover

Who will never forget you as long as he lives?

Whose life is not with people.

Who, as long as he lives, will never forget you?

أَقامَهُ حُبُّكُمُ مُلجَماً

أَقامَهُ حُبُّكُمُ مُلجَماً

يَعُضُّ مَعلوباً عَلى راسي

يَعُضُّ مَعلوباً عَلى راسي

Love for you has held him bridled;

Your love has left him muzzled,

Your love has held him checked and bridled,

He bites, scarred, upon a firmly fixed bit,

Biting afflicted on my head,

Champing the iron bit against his head,

حَتّى لَقَد مَجَّ دَماً خالِصاً

حَتّى لَقَد مَجَّ دَماً خالِصاً

مِن لِثَةٍ تَجري وَأَضراسِ

مِن لِثَةٍ تَجري وَأَضراسِ

Until, indeed, he spits out pure blood

Until indeed pure blood flows

Until he has spat out pure red blood,

From bleeding gums and molars.

From gums that bleed and grinders.

Streaming from his gums and clenched teeth.

لَو شِئتِ وَاللَهِ لَأَرضَيتِهِ

لَو شِئتِ وَاللَهِ لَأَرضَيتِهِ

فَلا تُقيميهِ عَلى الياسِ

فَلا تُقيميهِ عَلى الياسِ

Had you wished, by God, you would have pleased him;

By Allah, if you wished, you'd please him,

By God, if you wished, you could content him,

So do not keep him in despair.

So do not push him to despair.

So do not leave him standing in despair.