نَديمي داِ بِالخَمرِ الخُمارا

نَديمي داِ بِالخَمرِ الخُمارا

أَدر كَأسي يَميناً أَو يَسارا

أَدر كَأسي يَميناً أَو يَسارا

My drinking companion, cure the hangover with wine.

My boon companion, pass round the wine,

Pass my cup to the right or to the left.

Pour a cup now to the right or left.

مُشَعشَعَةً إِذا ما صَفَقوها

مُشَعشَعَةً إِذا ما صَفَقوها

بِماءٍ خِلتَها نوراً وَنارا

بِماءٍ خِلتَها نوراً وَنارا

Sparkling—when they mix it

When they clash the cups glittering,

With water, you would think it light and fire.

With water pure it glows like light and fire.

لَها مِن مَولِدَي موسى وَعيسى

لَها مِن مَولِدَي موسى وَعيسى

شَرابٌ لِليَهودِ وَلِلنَصارى

شَرابٌ لِليَهودِ وَلِلنَصارى

Since the births of Moses and Jesus, it has been

From my birth its nature took

A drink for Jews and for Christians.

A draught for Jew and Nazarene.

سَقى اللَهُ الحِمى وَرَعى لَيالٍ

سَقى اللَهُ الحِمى وَرَعى لَيالٍ

بِهِ وَبِأَهلِهِ كانَت قِصارا

بِهِ وَبِأَهلِهِ كانَت قِصارا

May God water the protected grounds and cherish nights

God gave the zealotry to drink and tended

That were short there and among its people.

The weak ones through its dearth.

وَمَسمَعَةً إِذا ما شِئتَ غَنَّت

وَمَسمَعَةً إِذا ما شِئتَ غَنَّت

أَلا حَيِّ المَنازِلَ وَالدِيارا

أَلا حَيِّ المَنازِلَ وَالدِيارا

And a songstress who, whenever you wished, would sing:

A speaking-trumpet, if you wish it sing,

"Ah, greet the dwellings and the homes!"

Hail to the dwellings and the ruins!

بَدَت بَدراً وَماجَت دِعصَ رَملٍ

بَدَت بَدراً وَماجَت دِعصَ رَملٍ

وَماسَت بانَةً وَشَدَت هَزارا

وَماسَت بانَةً وَشَدَت هَزارا

She appeared a full moon and undulated like a mound of sand,

It rose a full moon, then did dash

And swayed like a bān tree and sang like a nightingale.

A torrent's eddies into sparkling spray.

إِذا غازَلتُها أَو غازَلَتني

إِذا غازَلتُها أَو غازَلَتني

تَأَمَّلتُ الفَرَزدَقَ وَالنَوّارا

تَأَمَّلتُ الفَرَزدَقَ وَالنَوّارا

Whenever I flirted with her, or she flirted with me,

If I flirt with it or it flirts with me,

I thought of al-Farazdaq and al-Nawwār.

I think of Farazdaq and Nowarra.

وَيَومَ غَدَت تُعيرُني بِشَيبي

وَيَومَ غَدَت تُعيرُني بِشَيبي

وَقَد رَأَتِ السَكينَةِ والوَقارا

وَقَد رَأَتِ السَكينَةِ والوَقارا

And one day she began to taunt me for my gray hair,

And when it chides me for my grey hairs,

Though she had seen composure and dignity.

Though it has seen composure and dignity,

وَما في الشَيبِ عِندَ الناسِ عَيبٌ

وَما في الشَيبِ عِندَ الناسِ عَيبٌ

إِذا ما عادَ لَيلُهُمُ نَهارا

إِذا ما عادَ لَيلُهُمُ نَهارا

And there is no fault in gray hair in people's eyes,

Grey hair men do not think a defect

When their night turns into day.

If their night returns again to day.

ولَكِن في الشَبابِ خُزَعبَلاتٌ

ولَكِن في الشَبابِ خُزَعبَلاتٌ

لِمَن يَهوى العَذارى وَالعِذارا

لِمَن يَهوى العَذارى وَالعِذارا

But in youth there are follies

But in the young there are frivolities

For whoever desires maidens and downy cheeks.

For him who loves the maidens and the chaste.