نُنبيكُمُ من حالنا كُل ما كانا

نُنبيكُمُ من حالنا كُل ما كانا

فما كان سِرّاً دونكم عادَ أعلانا

فما كان سِرّاً دونكم عادَ أعلانا

We tell you of our state, all that has come to pass.

We inform you of our state, all that has been

So what was kept secret from you has become public.

What was secret from you has become public

ظلِلنا بحكم الراح نغنم لذّةً

ظلِلنا بحكم الراح نغنم لذّةً

من العيش صَرف الدهر منها تناسانا

من العيش صَرف الدهر منها تناسانا

We remained under wine's sway, reaping pleasure

We enjoyed the pleasure of living

from life; through it, Time's vicissitudes chose to forget us.

While time made us forgetful

وعارضنا القفّاصُ يعرض سحره

وعارضنا القفّاصُ يعرض سحره

وناهيك بالقفّاصِ خِدناً وإحسانا

وناهيك بالقفّاصِ خِدناً وإحسانا

And al-Qaffāṣ came before us, displaying his magic,

The musician tempted us with his magic

and what a companion al-Qaffāṣ is, and how gracious!

But no more of the musician's flattery and favors

إذا قارنَت أوتارهُ نغماتِه

إذا قارنَت أوتارهُ نغماتِه

ظللتَ وإن لم تشرب الراح سكرانا

ظللتَ وإن لم تشرب الراح سكرانا

When his strings accompany his melodies,

When his strings harmonized their melodies

you remain drunk, even if you have drunk no wine.

You swayed, drunk without drinking wine

ولي مؤنس بين الندامى يَعُلّني

ولي مؤنس بين الندامى يَعُلّني

إذا غفلوا ورداً وراحاً وريحانا

إذا غفلوا ورداً وراحاً وريحانا

And among the drinking companions I have one who cheers me and plies me,

I have a companion among the repentant who elevates me

when they are heedless, with roses, wine, and sweet basil.

With flowers, perfume, and basil when they neglect me

وقد نثرت الفاظُه زَهرَ روضةٍ

وقد نثرت الفاظُه زَهرَ روضةٍ

إذا نظمت حسنا ودُرا ومَرجانا

إذا نظمت حسنا ودُرا ومَرجانا

And his words have scattered a garden's blossoms,

His words have scattered flowers in the garden

when they string together beauty, pearls, and coral.

Arranging beautifully roses, pearls, and coral

يهز فؤادي كُلّما هَزَّ عطفه

يهز فؤادي كُلّما هَزَّ عطفه

جوىً ملهب احشاي شوقاً وأشجانا

جوىً ملهب احشاي شوقاً وأشجانا

My heart is shaken whenever he sways his side,

He shakes my heart whenever he sways gently

by love's anguish, which sets my inmost being aflame with longing and sorrow.

A burning passion igniting my soul with longing

وقد كان فظاً قاسياً فرقيته

وقد كان فظاً قاسياً فرقيته

بشعر هو السحر الحلال فقد لانا

بشعر هو السحر الحلال فقد لانا

And he had been harsh and hard-hearted, so I charmed him

He was once harsh and cruel, but I softened him

with verse, which is lawful magic; and so he softened.

With poetry that is sorcery made lawful, so he yielded

ألا إنما الدنيا مدام ومؤنسٌ

ألا إنما الدنيا مدام ومؤنسٌ

يميتك أحيانا ويحييك أحيانا

يميتك أحيانا ويحييك أحيانا

Indeed, this world is nothing but wine and a companion,

Life is a drink and a companion

who sometimes kills you and sometimes brings you to life.

That kills you sometimes and revives you sometimes