عَجِبتُ القَومَ جَنَّبو ثَمَنَ الغِنا

عَجِبتُ القَومَ جَنَّبو ثَمَنَ الغِنا

وَقَد شَرِبوا كاساتِهِم بِدُيونِ

وَقَد شَرِبوا كاساتِهِم بِدُيونِ

I marveled at the people who shunned the fee for singing,

I wondered at people who avoided the price of song

though they drank their cups on credit.

Yet drank their cups through loans

وَأَفضَلُ عِندي مِن أَكُفٍّ تَداوَلَت

وَأَفضَلُ عِندي مِن أَكُفٍّ تَداوَلَت

سُلافَةَ خَمّارٍ أَكُفُّ قُيونِ

سُلافَةَ خَمّارٍ أَكُفُّ قُيونِ

And better, in my view, than hands that passed around

And better in my eyes than passed around palms

a wine seller’s choice wine are the hands of smiths.

Are the palms of a vintner's apprentice, calloused

يَقولونَ لَم نَشرَب مَقالَ تَكَذُّبٍ

يَقولونَ لَم نَشرَب مَقالَ تَكَذُّبٍ

وَقَد شَهِدَت في أَوجُهٍ وَعُيونِ

وَقَد شَهِدَت في أَوجُهٍ وَعُيونِ

They say, “We have not drunk”—a lying claim—

They say, "We haven't drunk lies' talk,"

though the wine has borne witness in faces and eyes.

Yet it's witnessed in their faces and eyes