يَقولُ زِيادٌ قِف بِصَحبِكَ مَرَّةً

يَقولُ زِيادٌ قِف بِصَحبِكَ مَرَّةً

عَلى الرَبعِ مالي وَالوُقوفَ عَلى الرَبعِ

عَلى الرَبعِ مالي وَالوُقوفَ عَلى الرَبعِ

Ziyad says, “Stop with your companions once

Ziyad says: stop with your friends once

at the dwelling.” What have I to do with standing at the dwelling?

at the ruins, and stand at the ruins,

أَدِرها عَلى فَقدِ الحَبيبِ فَرُبَّما

أَدِرها عَلى فَقدِ الحَبيبِ فَرُبَّما

شَرِبتُ عَلى نَأيِ الأَحِبَّةِ وَالفَجعِ

شَرِبتُ عَلى نَأيِ الأَحِبَّةِ وَالفَجعِ

Pass it round for the loss of the beloved, for often

pass around the cup for the loss of a beloved, for I may

I have drunk over separation from loved ones and bereavement.

drink to distant loved ones and heartbreak.

فَما بَلَغَتني الكَأسُ إِلّا شَرِبتُها

فَما بَلَغَتني الكَأسُ إِلّا شَرِبتُها

وَإِلّا سَقَيتُ الأَرضَ كَأساً مِنَ الدَمعِ

وَإِلّا سَقَيتُ الأَرضَ كَأساً مِنَ الدَمعِ

So no cup reached me without my drinking it,

Whenever the cup reached me I drank it,

and otherwise I watered the earth with a cup of tears.

or else I poured the earth a cup of tears.