1. أبا "زيدونَ" ما أحلَى

    معانيكَ ، وما أطرى

    Abu Zaydun, how sweet

    your meanings are, and how fresh!

  2. لقد أوحشنا بُعدُكَ

    لولا نعمةُ الذِكرى

    Your absence would have left us lonely,

    but for the blessing of remembrance.

  3. أبا "زيدون" والدنيا

    يمازجُ حُلْوُها المرّا

    Abu Zaydun, while the world's

    sweetness mingles with its bitterness,

  4. سنبقى طولَ أعوامٍ

    جِفافٍ نستقي شهرا

    we shall remain through years

    of drought, drawing drink from a month.

  5. ألا يا ليت أفراسَ الصبا

    المشبوبِ لا تَعْرى

    Ah, would that the steeds of youth,

    so ardent, were never unsaddled!

  6. عَمَرنا بعدَكَ الكأسَ،

    وكانت آيةً كُبرى

    After you, we filled the cup,

    and it was a mighty marvel.

  7. ونَصَّبنا لها "الويسكيَ"

    والفُستقَ، والقُشِرا

    And we set out whisky for it,

    and pistachios, and husks,

  8. ومحشوَّ "دجاجٍ" حُفَ

    ب "الدُلمةِ" كالطُغرا

    and stuffed chicken, encircled

    by dolma, like a tughra.

  9. أفانينَ، أفانينَ

    بها نستعجلُ السُكْرا

    Varieties upon varieties,

    with which we hasten drunkenness.

  10. وكانت كأسُك الأولى

    وكأسُ لقائِنا الأُخرى

    And your cup was the first,

    and the cup of our meeting the other.

  11. ودارت بعدَها الأكؤسُ

    من كُبرى، ومن صُغرى

    And after it, the cups went round,

    some large, and some small.

  12. ومالتْ عندها صُغراً

    رؤوسٌ تأنَفُ الصُغْرا

    And then, made small, bowed

    heads that scorned smallness.

  13. وأسرينا وما ندري

    فسبحانَ الذي أسرى

    And we journeyed by night, unaware—

    so glory be to Him who carried by night

  14. بإخوانٍ إذا الدُنيا

    دَجَتْ كانوا لها الفَجرا

    brothers who, when the world

    grew dark, were its dawn.

  15. صَفَوْا كالنبع إعلاناً

    وطابُوا كالندى سرا

    They were pure as a spring in public,

    and sweet as dew in secret.

  16. ألا أبلغْ "أبا القاسم"

    أنّا نَعصِرُ الخمرا

    Ah, tell Abu al-Qasim

    that we press wine,

  17. وأنا نقرأ الغيبَ

    وأنا ننفُثُ السِحْرا

    and that we read the unseen,

    and that we breathe forth magic,

  18. وأنا نَمسَخُ الإيما

    نَ حتّى يغتدِي كُفْرا

    and that we distort faith

    until it becomes unbelief;

  19. وأنَّ العَرَقَ المَحْضَ

    إذا شئنا اغتَدَى تَمْرا

    and that pure arak,

    if we wish, becomes dates;

  20. وأنّا نحنُ لا الدنيا

    نَسُنُّ الخيرَ والشَرّا

    and that we—not the world—

    ordain good and evil.

  21. وإنَّ الأحمقَ المغرورَ

    من راحَ بِنا يُغرى

    And surely the deluded fool

    is he who goes on being beguiled by us.

  22. فشُكراً يُعقِبُ السُكرا

    وَسكراً يُعقِبُ الشُكرا

    So, thanks that follow drunkenness,

    and drunkenness that follows thanks,

  23. وشَوقاً يلذَعُ الأضلُعَ

    حتَّى خِلْتُهُ جَمْرا

    and longing that sears the ribs,

    until I thought it burning coals,

  24. وميثاقاً بأن نبقى

    "كإخوان الصفا" دَهْرا

    and a pledge that we shall remain

    like the Brethren of Purity forever.