وَمَشمولَةٍ قَد طالَ بِالقَفصِ حَبسُها

وَمَشمولَةٍ قَد طالَ بِالقَفصِ حَبسُها

حَكَت نارَ إِبراهيمَ في اللَونِ وَالبَردِ

حَكَت نارَ إِبراهيمَ في اللَونِ وَالبَردِ

And a wine cooled by the north wind, long imprisoned in the cage,

Imprisoned for so long, her cage was cramped,

resembled Abraham’s fire in color and coolness.

She told of Abraham's fire in hue and chill.

حَطَطنا إِلى خَمّارِها بَعدَ هَجعَةٍ

حَطَطنا إِلى خَمّارِها بَعدَ هَجعَةٍ

رِحالَ مَطايا لَم تَزَل يَومَها تَخدي

رِحالَ مَطايا لَم تَزَل يَومَها تَخدي

We set down at its wine-seller’s, after a spell of sleep,

We lowered ourselves to her veil after sleepiness,

the saddles of mounts that had kept striding swiftly all day.

The saddles of steeds that spent their day pacing.

مُلوكٌ لِلَذّاتِ الشَبابِ تَواضَعوا

مُلوكٌ لِلَذّاتِ الشَبابِ تَواضَعوا

وَلَم يَحلِفوا فيها بِذَمٍّ وَلا حَمدِ

وَلَم يَحلِفوا فيها بِذَمٍّ وَلا حَمدِ

Kings humbled themselves to the pleasures of youth,

Kings in the bloom of youth showed humility

and swore no oath concerning them, in blame or praise.

Swearing by no blame or praise in it.

فَباتوا لَدى الخُمارِ في بَيتِ حانَةٍ

فَباتوا لَدى الخُمارِ في بَيتِ حانَةٍ

وَأَخلوا قُصوراً بِالرُصافَةِ وَالحَدِّ

وَأَخلوا قُصوراً بِالرُصافَةِ وَالحَدِّ

So they spent the night with the wine-seller in a tavern room,

They spent nights by the wine-seller in a tavern,

and left palaces empty in al-Rusafa and al-Hadd.

Emptying palaces in the suburbs and burbs.

وَدامَ عَلَيهُم بِالمُدامِ مُمَنطَقٌ

وَدامَ عَلَيهُم بِالمُدامِ مُمَنطَقٌ

بِزُنّارِهِ حُلو الشَمائِلِ وَالقَدِ

بِزُنّارِهِ حُلو الشَمائِلِ وَالقَدِ

And a man kept attending them with wine, girded

Continuing at the wine-skins was one

with his belt, charming in manner and stature.

With a belt, sweet of glance and stature.

يَمُجُّ سُلافَ الخَمرِ في عَسجَديَّةٍ

يَمُجُّ سُلافَ الخَمرِ في عَسجَديَّةٍ

تَوَهُّجُ في يُمناهُ كَالكَوكَبِ الفَردِ

تَوَهُّجُ في يُمناهُ كَالكَوكَبِ الفَردِ

He pours forth the choicest wine into a golden cup,

He pours the wine's draft in a goblet

glowing in his right hand like a solitary star,

That glows on his right like a lone star.

مُحَفَّرَةٍ فيها تَصاويرُ فارِسٍ

مُحَفَّرَةٍ فيها تَصاويرُ فارِسٍ

وَكِسرى غَريقٌ حَولُهُ خِرَقُ الجُندِ

وَكِسرى غَريقٌ حَولُهُ خِرَقُ الجُندِ

engraved, bearing images of Persia,

Engraved on it figures of a horseman

and Kisra is drowned, the army’s banners around him.

And Khusraw surrounded by torn raiments of soldiers.