يقول قومٌ أبصروني وقد

يقول قومٌ أبصروني وقد

تلفتُ ما بينهم سكرا

تلفتُ ما بينهم سكرا

Some people who saw me say, when

Some people saw me wandering drunk,

I was wasted in their midst with drink:

Staggering between them intoxicated.

قم الحقِ الظهر ولو ركعةً

قم الحقِ الظهر ولو ركعةً

فالناس قد صلوا بنا العصرا

فالناس قد صلوا بنا العصرا

“Get up; catch the noon prayer, even if only one rak‘ah;

Stand for the afternoon prayer even if only one bow,

for the people have already led us in the afternoon prayer.”

For the people have already prayed Asr with us.

فقلت ما أحسن ما قلتمُ

فقلت ما أحسن ما قلتمُ

أقوم حتى ألحق الظهرا

أقوم حتى ألحق الظهرا

So I said, “How fine your words are!

So I said, how right you are in what you say!

I'll get up to catch the noon prayer.

I will stand to make up the afternoon prayer.

أقوم والركعة من عند من

أقوم والركعة من عند من

نعم وإن قمت فمن يقرا

نعم وإن قمت فمن يقرا

I'll get up—but who will supply the rak‘ah?

I will stand though the one bow comes from the One

Yes, and if I get up, who will recite?”

Whose bounty is plenty even if I stand late.

قالوا فلا تسكر فلسنا نرى

قالوا فلا تسكر فلسنا نرى

لعاقلٍ في سكره عذرا

لعاقلٍ في سكره عذرا

They said, “Then do not get drunk, for we see

They said, "Do not be drunk!" For they do not see

no excuse for a sensible man in his drunkenness.”

Any excuse for a reasonable man's drunkenness.

والله لولا السكر يا سادتي

والله لولا السكر يا سادتي

ما ذقت مطبوخاً ولا خمرا

ما ذقت مطبوخاً ولا خمرا

“By God, were it not for drunkenness, my masters,

By God, if not for drunkenness, O my lords,

I would have tasted neither boiled wine nor wine.”

I would have tasted neither wine nor fermented drink!

قالوا فهذا السكر ما حده

قالوا فهذا السكر ما حده

فقلت حد السكر أن أخرا

فقلت حد السكر أن أخرا

They said, “Then what is the limit of this drunkenness?”

They said, "What is the limit of this drunkenness?"

I said, “The limit of drunkenness is that I shit.”

I said, "The limit of drunkenness is to be delayed."