أَوشَكَ الديكُ أَن يَصيحَ وَنَفسي

أَوشَكَ الديكُ أَن يَصيحَ وَنَفسي

بَينَ هَمٍّ وَبَينَ ظَنٍّ وَحَدسِ

بَينَ هَمٍّ وَبَينَ ظَنٍّ وَحَدسِ

The cock was about to crow, and my soul

The rooster is about to crow, while my soul

wavered between worry, conjecture, and surmise.

Wavers between worry, guesswork and intuition.

يا غُلامُ المُدامَ وَالكاسَ وَالطا

يا غُلامُ المُدامَ وَالكاسَ وَالطا

سَ وَهَيِّئ لَنا مَكاناً كَأَمسِ

سَ وَهَيِّئ لَنا مَكاناً كَأَمسِ

Boy, bring the wine, the cup, and the

O boy of wine, goblets and revelry,

bowl, and prepare us a place as yesterday.

Prepare for us a place like yesterday's.

أَطلِقِ الشَمسَ مِن غَياهِبِ هَذا الدَن

أَطلِقِ الشَمسَ مِن غَياهِبِ هَذا الدَن

نِ وَاِملَإ مِن ذَلِكَ النورِ كَأسي

نِ وَاِملَإ مِن ذَلِكَ النورِ كَأسي

Release the sun from the dark depths of this

Unleash the sun from the gloom of this world

wine jar, and fill my cup with that light.

And fill my cup with that light.

وَأَذَنِ الصُبحَ أَن يَلوحَ لِعَيني

وَأَذَنِ الصُبحَ أَن يَلوحَ لِعَيني

مِن سَناها فَذاكَ وَقتُ التَحَسّي

مِن سَناها فَذاكَ وَقتُ التَحَسّي

And bid dawn appear to my eye

Let the dawn grant my eyes

from her radiance; that is the time for sipping.

A glimpse of its brilliance, for that is the time of awakening.

وَاِدعُ نَدمانَ خَلوَتي وَاِئتِناسي

وَاِدعُ نَدمانَ خَلوَتي وَاِئتِناسي

وَتَعَجَّل وَأَسبِل سُتورَ الدِمَقسِ

وَتَعَجَّل وَأَسبِل سُتورَ الدِمَقسِ

And summon the drinking companion of my solitude and solace,

Summon the bosom friends of my solitude and intimacy,

and hurry, and lower the fine-silk curtains.

And hasten to unfurl the curtains of the tavern.

وَاِسقِنا يا غُلامُ حَتّى تَرانا

وَاِسقِنا يا غُلامُ حَتّى تَرانا

لا نُطيقُ الكَلامَ إِلّا بِهَمسِ

لا نُطيقُ الكَلامَ إِلّا بِهَمسِ

And give us drink, boy, until you see us

Serve us, o boy, until you see us

unable to speak except in a whisper.

Unable to speak except in whispers.

خَمرَةً قيلَ إِنَّهُم عَصَروها

خَمرَةً قيلَ إِنَّهُم عَصَروها

مِن خُدودِ المِلاحِ في يَومِ عُرسِ

مِن خُدودِ المِلاحِ في يَومِ عُرسِ

A wine that, it is said, they pressed

A wine whose makers, they say, pressed it

from the cheeks of beauties on a wedding day.

From the cheeks of beauties on a wedding day.

مُذ رَآها فَتى العَزيزِ مَناماً

مُذ رَآها فَتى العَزيزِ مَناماً

وَهوَ في السِجنِ بَينَ هَمٍّ وَيَأسِ

وَهوَ في السِجنِ بَينَ هَمٍّ وَيَأسِ

Since al-Aziz's young servant saw her in a dream,

A vision a noble youth saw

while he was in prison, between worry and despair,

While imprisoned, amidst woe and despair.

أَعقَبَتهُ الخَلاصَ مِن بَعدِ ضيقٍ

أَعقَبَتهُ الخَلاصَ مِن بَعدِ ضيقٍ

وَحَبَتهُ السُعودَ مِن بَعدِ نَحسِ

وَحَبَتهُ السُعودَ مِن بَعدِ نَحسِ

she brought him deliverance after distress

It brought him deliverance after hardship

and granted him good fortune after ill luck.

And granted him fortune after misfortune.

يا نَديمي بِاللَهِ قُل لي لِماذا

يا نَديمي بِاللَهِ قُل لي لِماذا

هَذِهِ الخَندَريسُ تُدعى بِرِجسِ

هَذِهِ الخَندَريسُ تُدعى بِرِجسِ

O my drinking companion, by God, tell me why

My friend, for God's sake, tell me why

this aged wine is called an abomination?

Is this potion called defiled?

هِيَ نَفسٌ زَكِيَّةٌ وَأَبوها

هِيَ نَفسٌ زَكِيَّةٌ وَأَبوها

غَرسُهُ في الجِنانِ أَكرَمُ غَرسِ

غَرسُهُ في الجِنانِ أَكرَمُ غَرسِ

She is a pure soul, and her father

It is a pure soul, its father

is the noblest of plants grown in the gardens.

Planted it in the gardens, a most noble plant.

هِيَ نَفسٌ تَعَلَّمَت حُسنَ أَخلا

هِيَ نَفسٌ تَعَلَّمَت حُسنَ أَخلا

قِ المولِحِيِّ في صَفاءٍ وَأُنسِ

قِ المولِحِيِّ في صَفاءٍ وَأُنسِ

She is a soul that has learned the fine

It is a soul that learned the virtues

character of al-Mawlihi, in purity and fellowship.

Of the righteous in purity and intimacy.

خَصَّهُ اللَهُ حَيثُ يُصبِحُ بِالإِق

خَصَّهُ اللَهُ حَيثُ يُصبِحُ بِالإِق

بالِ وَالعِزِّ وَالعُلا حَيثُ يُمسي

بالِ وَالعِزِّ وَالعُلا حَيثُ يُمسي

God has favored him at dawn with

God blessed it, so that at dawn it is

prosperity, honor, and eminence at dusk.

With devotion, honor and exaltation, and at dusk the same.