شَرِبنا فَمُتنا ميتَةً جاهِلِيَّةً

شَرِبنا فَمُتنا ميتَةً جاهِلِيَّةً

مَضى أَهلُها لَم يَعرِفوا ما مُحَمَّدُ

مَضى أَهلُها لَم يَعرِفوا ما مُحَمَّدُ

We drank, then died a death of the pagan age—

We drank and died an ignorant death

whose people passed away never knowing who Muhammad was—

Its people passed away not knowing who Muhammad was

ثَلاثَةَ أَيّامٍ فَلَمّا تَنَبَّهَت

ثَلاثَةَ أَيّامٍ فَلَمّا تَنَبَّهَت

حُشاشاتُ أَنفاسٍ أَتَتنا تَرَدَّدُ

حُشاشاتُ أَنفاسٍ أَتَتنا تَرَدَّدُ

for three days; then, when there stirred

For three days, until we came to our senses

the last remnants of breath, coming to us, ebbing and flowing,

The breaths of life visited us, wandering

حَيَينا حَياةً لَم تَكُن مِن قِيامَةٍ

حَيَينا حَياةً لَم تَكُن مِن قِيامَةٍ

عَلَينا وَلا حَشرٍ لَنا بِهِ مَوعِدُ

عَلَينا وَلا حَشرٍ لَنا بِهِ مَوعِدُ

we lived again—not through a resurrection

We came alive with a life that was no resurrection

come upon us, nor any gathering appointed for us—

Neither for us nor for an appointed time of gathering

حَياةَ مِراضٍ حَولَهُم بَعدَما صَحَوا

حَياةَ مِراضٍ حَولَهُم بَعدَما صَحَوا

مِنَ الناسِ شَتّى عاذِلونَ وَعُوَّدُ

مِنَ الناسِ شَتّى عاذِلونَ وَعُوَّدُ

the life of sick men, around whom, once they sobered up,

An ailing life for them after they woke

were all sorts of people: reproachers and sickbed visitors.

Up from mankind, blaming and threatening

وَقُلنا لِساقينا عَلَيكَ فَعُد بِنا

وَقُلنا لِساقينا عَلَيكَ فَعُد بِنا

إِلى مِثلِها بِالأَمسِ فَالعَودُ أَحمَدُ

إِلى مِثلِها بِالأَمسِ فَالعَودُ أَحمَدُ

And we said to our cupbearer, "Come now, take us back

And we said to our cupbearer, come back to us

to the like of yesterday’s, for returning is better."

With the likes of it as yesterday—returning is best

فَجاءَ بِها كَأَنَّما في إِنائِهِ

فَجاءَ بِها كَأَنَّما في إِنائِهِ

بِها الكَوكَبُ المِرّيخُ تَصفو وَتُزبِدُ

بِها الكَوكَبُ المِرّيخُ تَصفو وَتُزبِدُ

So he brought it, as though his vessel held

So he brought it as if in his cup

the planet Mars within the wine, clear and foaming—

Mars, shining and foaming

نَفوحٍ بِماءٍ يُشبِهُ الطيبَ طيبُهُ

نَفوحٍ بِماءٍ يُشبِهُ الطيبَ طيبُهُ

إِذا ما تَعاطَت كَأسَها مِن يَدٍ يَدُ

إِذا ما تَعاطَت كَأسَها مِن يَدٍ يَدُ

fragrant with water, its scent like perfume,

Exhaling a scent, the scent of its perfume like perfume

whenever one hand receives its cup from another.

When held in a hand by a hand

تُميتُ وَتُحيِي بَعدَ موتٍ وَمَوتُها

تُميتُ وَتُحيِي بَعدَ موتٍ وَمَوتُها

لَذيذٌ وَمَحياها أَلَذُّ وَأَمجَدُ

لَذيذٌ وَمَحياها أَلَذُّ وَأَمجَدُ

It kills and revives after death; the death it brings

It kills and gives life after death and its death

is sweet, and the life it gives is sweeter and more glorious.

Is pleasurable and its giving of life is sweeter and more glorious