يا رُبَّ مَن أَسفاهُ أَحلامُهُ

يا رُبَّ مَن أَسفاهُ أَحلامُهُ

أَن قيلَ يَوماً إِنَّ عَمراً سَكور

أَن قيلَ يَوماً إِنَّ عَمراً سَكور

Ah, many a man whose own wits have made him foolish,

O Lord, who made his dreams wretched

because one day it was said, 'ʿAmr is indeed a drunkard.'

That it was once said that Amr is drunk

إِن أَكُ مِسكيراً فَلا أَشرَبُ

إِن أَكُ مِسكيراً فَلا أَشرَبُ

وَغلاً وَلا يَسلَمُ مِنّي البَعير

وَغلاً وَلا يَسلَمُ مِنّي البَعير

If I am a heavy drinker, I do not drink

If I were a drunkard, I wouldn’t drink

as an uninvited guest, nor does the camel escape me.

Wine or camel urine, nor would the camel be safe from me

وَالزِقُ مُلكٌ لِمَن كانَ لَهُ

وَالزِقُ مُلكٌ لِمَن كانَ لَهُ

وَالمُلكُ فيهِ طَويلٌ وَقَصير

وَالمُلكُ فيهِ طَويلٌ وَقَصير

And the wineskin is a kingdom for whoever owns it,

Sovereignty belongs to those who possess it

and the reign within it is long and short.

In it are the long and the short

فيهِ الصَبوحُ الَّذي يَجعَلُني

فيهِ الصَبوحُ الَّذي يَجعَلُني

لَيثَ عِفِرّينَ وَالمالُ كَثير

لَيثَ عِفِرّينَ وَالمالُ كَثير

In it is the morning draught that makes me

In it is the morning draught that makes me

the lion of ʿIfirrīn, and wealth is abundant.

A snarling lion with plenty of wealth

فَأَوَّلَ اللَيلِ فَتىً ماجِدٌ

فَأَوَّلَ اللَيلِ فَتىً ماجِدٌ

وَآخِرَ اللَيلِ ضِبعانٌ عَثور

وَآخِرَ اللَيلِ ضِبعانٌ عَثور

So at the beginning of the night, I am a noble youth,

At the beginning of the night a glorious youth

and at the end of the night, a stumbling male hyena.

At the end of the night a fallen drunk

قاتَلَكِ اللَهُ مِن مَشروبَةٍ

قاتَلَكِ اللَهُ مِن مَشروبَةٍ

لَو أَنَّ مِرَّةٍ ذا عَنكِ صَبور

لَو أَنَّ مِرَّةٍ ذا عَنكِ صَبور

God damn you, what a drink you are!

May God destroy you, you intoxicating drink

If only a man of resolve could abstain from you!

If only you would be patient with me once