أَتانا هِشامٌ وَالكُؤوسُ تَقودُهُ

أَتانا هِشامٌ وَالكُؤوسُ تَقودُهُ

فَجاءَ كَمِثلِ العِفرِ في يَدِهِ كَفرُ

فَجاءَ كَمِثلِ العِفرِ في يَدِهِ كَفرُ

Hisham came to us, the cups leading him.

Hisham came to us while cups were guiding him,

So he came like a fiend, a short staff in his hand.

He arrived like a bird with unbelief in his palms.

إِذا كانَ صَحوُ المَرءِ بَدءَ اِعوِجاجِهِ

إِذا كانَ صَحوُ المَرءِ بَدءَ اِعوِجاجِهِ

فَكَيفَ يُرَجّى أَن يُقَوِّمَهُ السُكرُ

فَكَيفَ يُرَجّى أَن يُقَوِّمَهُ السُكرُ

If a man's sobriety is the beginning of his crookedness,

If a man's sobriety is the start of his deviance,

then how can drunkenness be expected to straighten him?

How can intoxication be hoped to correct him?