ما في النَبيذِ مَعَ المُعَربِدِ لَذَّةٌ

ما في النَبيذِ مَعَ المُعَربِدِ لَذَّةٌ

وَاِبنٌ لِيَحيى لاطِمٌ بِيَدَينِ

وَاِبنٌ لِيَحيى لاطِمٌ بِيَدَينِ

There is no pleasure in wine with a drunken brawler,

No pleasure is there in wine with a boor,

There is no pleasure in wine with a quarrelsome brawler,

And a son of Yahya slaps with both hands.

And John's son with both hands is a striker,

And a son of Yahya who strikes out with both hands;

رَيحانُهُ بِدَمِ الشُجاعِ مُلَطَّخٌ

رَيحانُهُ بِدَمِ الشُجاعِ مُلَطَّخٌ

وَتَحِيَّةُ النُدمانِ قَلعُ العَينِ

وَتَحِيَّةُ النُدمانِ قَلعُ العَينِ

His basil is stained with the brave man's blood,

His basil is drenched in the blood of the brave,

His sweet basil is besmeared with the blood of the brave,

And the greeting for drinking companions is gouging out an eye.

And the greeting of the remorseful is eye gouging.

And the greeting of his drinking companions is the gouging of eyes.

لا تَشرَبَنَّ وجَعفَراً في مَجلِسٍ

لا تَشرَبَنَّ وجَعفَراً في مَجلِسٍ

أَبَداً وَلا تَحمِل دَمَ الأَخَوَينِ

أَبَداً وَلا تَحمِل دَمَ الأَخَوَينِ

Do not drink with Ja‘far at a gathering,

Drink not at all with Ja'far in a session,

Never drink while Ja'far is present in the assembly,

Ever, nor bear the blood of the two brothers.

Nor ever carry the blood of two brothers.

And do not bear the burden of brothers' blood.