أَلاAh! مَنwho لِقَلبٍfor a heart فيin الهَوىlove غَيرَnot مُنتَهِdesisting
أَلا مَن لِقَلبٍ في الهَوى غَيرَ مُنتَهِ
وَفيand in الغَيِّwaywardness مِطواعٍreadily compliant وَفيand in الرَشدِright guidance مُكرَهِcompelled against its will
وَفي الغَيِّ مِطواعٍ وَفي الرَشدِ مُكرَهِ
Ah, who will help a heart that never desists from love,
Alas for him whose heart has no end to passion,
compliant in waywardness, yet compelled toward right guidance?
Who finds rebellion sweet and guidance hateful!
أُشاوِرُهُI consult it فيabout تَوبَةٍrepentance فَيَقولُthen it says لاno
أُشاوِرُهُ في تَوبَةٍ فَيَقولُ لا
فَإِنand if قُلتُI said تَأتيis coming فِتنَةٌa temptation قالَit said أَينَwhere هيit is
فَإِن قُلتُ تَأتي فِتنَةٌ قالَ أَينَ هي
I consult it about repentance, and it says, 'No.'
I counsel him to repent, but he says, No;
And if I say, 'A temptation is coming,' it says, 'Where is it?'
And if I say, “Traps will arise,” he answers, “Where are they?”
وَياand O ساقِيَيَّmy two cupbearers اليَومَtoday عوداreturn, you two وَثَنِّياand repeat, you two
وَيا ساقِيَيَّ اليَومَ عودا وَثَنِّيا
بِإِبريقِwith a jug راحٍwine فيin الكُؤوسِthe cups مُقَهقِهِlaughing aloud
بِإِبريقِ راحٍ في الكُؤوسِ مُقَهقِهِ
And O my two cupbearers, return today and pour again
O cupbearer, give me today a beaker and a boon companion,
with a jug of wine that laughs aloud in the cups.
With brimming cups that clink;
أُوَرِّثُI cause to inherit نَفسيmy soul مالَهاits wealth قَبلَbefore وارِثيmy heir
أُوَرِّثُ نَفسي مالَها قَبلَ وارِثي
وَأُنفِقُهُand I spend it فيماon what تُحِبُّit loves وَتَشتَهيand it desires
وَأُنفِقُهُ فيما تُحِبُّ وَتَشتَهي
I let my soul inherit its wealth before my heir,
I will bequeath my soul what it never possessed before an heir,
and spend it on what my soul loves and desires.
And spend it on what it loves and desires.