هاتَ اِسقِني بِالقَدَحِ الكَبيرِ

هاتَ اِسقِني بِالقَدَحِ الكَبيرِ

صَفراءَ لَونَ الذَهَبِ المَصهورِ

صَفراءَ لَونَ الذَهَبِ المَصهورِ

Bring it; pour me a drink in the large goblet,

Come, serve me drink from the mighty goblet,

Yellow, the color of molten gold,

Golden-hued, like the color of molten gold,

كَأَنَّها في أَكأُسِ البَلّورِ

كَأَنَّها في أَكأُسِ البَلّورِ

شُعلَةُ نارٍ في بَقايا نورِ

شُعلَةُ نارٍ في بَقايا نورِ

As though, in crystal cups, it were

As though she, within cups of crystal,

A flame of fire amid remnants of light.

Is a flame of fire amidst lingering light.

عَجِبتُ لِلكَأسِ الَّتي تَحويها

عَجِبتُ لِلكَأسِ الَّتي تَحويها

كَيفَ اِستَقَرَّت وَالحَياةُ فيها

كَيفَ اِستَقَرَّت وَالحَياةُ فيها

I marveled at the cup that holds it—

I marveled at the cup that contains her,

How could it stay still, with life inside it?

How it remained still while life dwells within;

لَو لَم يُدِرها بَينّا ساقيها

لَو لَم يُدِرها بَينّا ساقيها

دارَت عَلى القَومِ بِلا مُديرِ

دارَت عَلى القَومِ بِلا مُديرِ

If its cupbearer did not pass it among us,

Had her cupbearer not circulated her amongst us,

It would go round the company with no one to pass it.

She would have circled the gathering without a guide.

هاتَ اِسقِنيها مِثلَ عَينِ الديكِ

هاتَ اِسقِنيها مِثلَ عَينِ الديكِ

صافِيَةً تَنهَضُ بِالصُعلوكِ

صافِيَةً تَنهَضُ بِالصُعلوكِ

Bring it; pour it for me, like a rooster's eye,

Come, serve her to me—sparkling like the rooster's eye,

Clear, it lifts the pauper up,

Pure and clear, uplifting the destitute soul,

حَتّى يَرى التيهَ عَلى المُلوكِ

حَتّى يَرى التيهَ عَلى المُلوكِ

وَلا يُبالي سَطَوَةَ الأَميرِ

وَلا يُبالي سَطَوَةَ الأَميرِ

Till he looks down proudly on kings

Until he perceives himself grander than kings,

And cares nothing for the prince's power.

And heeds not the authority of the prince.

بِنتُ لدَوالي ضَرَّةَ الرُضابِ

بِنتُ لدَوالي ضَرَّةَ الرُضابِ

أُختَ التَصافي زَوجَةَ السَحابِ

أُختَ التَصافي زَوجَةَ السَحابِ

Daughter of the vines, rival to the lips' sweet moisture,

Daughter of the vines, rival to the sweetness of a kiss,

Sister of friendship, wife of the clouds,

Sister of sincere friendship, bride of the rain clouds.

أَنت وَإِن لامَ الوَرى شَرابي

أَنت وَإِن لامَ الوَرى شَرابي

في الخالِدينَ القَر وَالهَجيرِ

في الخالِدينَ القَر وَالهَجيرِ

You are my drink, though mankind reproach me,

You are my drink, even if the world casts blame,

Through the undying pair—cold and scorching heat.

Through the enduring cycles of biting cold and scorching heat.

أَشرَبُها بَل أَشرَبُ الإِكسيرا

أَشرَبُها بَل أَشرَبُ الإِكسيرا

تَخلُقُ في شارِبِها السُرورا

تَخلُقُ في شارِبِها السُرورا

I drink it—rather, I drink the elixir;

I drink her—nay, rather I drink the elixir of life;

It creates joy in whoever drinks it.

She creates pure delight within the one who imbibes.

فَقُل لِمَن يَحسَبُها غُرورا

فَقُل لِمَن يَحسَبُها غُرورا

ما العَيشُ إِلّا ساعَة الغُرورِ

ما العَيشُ إِلّا ساعَة الغُرورِ

So tell whoever considers it an illusion:

So say to the one who deems her a mere delusion:

Life is but an hour of illusion.

What is life, but a fleeting hour of delusion?