كَأَنَّما الرَّاوُوقُ وانتِصابُهُ

كَأَنَّما الرَّاوُوقُ وانتِصابُهُ

خُرْطُومُ فِيْلٍ سَقَطَتْ أَنْيَابُهُ

خُرْطُومُ فِيْلٍ سَقَطَتْ أَنْيَابُهُ

The wine-strainer, standing upright, is like

As if the wine jug with its rising spout

The trunk of an elephant whose tusks have fallen out.

Is the trunk of an elephant whose tusks broke off

طُفْنَا به وَكُلَّنا نَهَابُهُ

طُفْنَا به وَكُلَّنا نَهَابُهُ

وهو كظيظٌ مُتْأَقٌ إهابُهُ

وهو كظيظٌ مُتْأَقٌ إهابُهُ

We circled it, all of us in awe of it,

We circled around it, all of us fearing it

While it is brimful, its hide filled tight,

While it boiled and bubbled, roaring

مُخَضّبٌ وَحَبّذا خِضابُهُ

مُخَضّبٌ وَحَبّذا خِضابُهُ

مَجّ الرَّحِيقَ الرّائِقَ انْتِقابُهُ

مَجّ الرَّحِيقَ الرّائِقَ انْتِقابُهُ

Stained—and how lovely is its stain!

Dyed red, splendid its dye

Its pierced opening spat out the clear nectar:

Blended of exquisite, subtle wine

غَيْثُ مُدَامٍ خَرِقٌ سَحَابُهُ

غَيْثُ مُدَامٍ خَرِقٌ سَحَابُهُ

كالضَّرْعِ يَكفي حَلْبَهُ انْجِلابُهُ

كالضَّرْعِ يَكفي حَلْبَهُ انْجِلابُهُ

A shower of wine, its cloud pouring freely.

A downpour of sweet wine, its clouds torn open

Like an udder, drawing it suffices to milk it.

Like an udder sufficient for its streaming outpour

فالبَيْتُ مِنْهُ عَبِقٌ تُرابُهُ

فالبَيْتُ مِنْهُ عَبِقٌ تُرابُهُ

كَأَنَّ عِطْراً فُتِقَتْ عِيابُهُ

كَأَنَّ عِطْراً فُتِقَتْ عِيابُهُ

So the house's very dust is fragrant from it,

The house was fragrant from it, its dust

As though perfume's bags had been split open

As if perfumes had burst from its folds

فيه فَكُلُّ هَمُّهُ انْتِهابُهُ

فيه فَكُلُّ هَمُّهُ انْتِهابُهُ

فَغْمٌ إذا ما اتّصَلَ انْسكابُهُ

فَغْمٌ إذا ما اتّصَلَ انْسكابُهُ

Within it; everyone is intent on seizing it.

In it all one's care is to seize it

Strongly fragrant whenever its pouring runs unbroken,

Regret when its outflowing is cut off

سالِ برَاحٍ قَرْقَفٍ لُعابُهُ

سالِ برَاحٍ قَرْقَفٍ لُعابُهُ

رُضَابُ مَنْ أعشَقُهُ رُضَابُهُ

رُضَابُ مَنْ أعشَقُهُ رُضَابُهُ

Its saliva flows with potent wine.

Ask of its brisk, effervescent saliva

Its sweet saliva is that of the one I adore.

The slaps of my beloved are his slaps

مَنْ لَمْ يَرْقَ بمثلِهِ شرابُهُ

مَنْ لَمْ يَرْقَ بمثلِهِ شرابُهُ

لَمْ يَدْرِ كيف العَيْشُ واكتِسَابُهُ

لَمْ يَدْرِ كيف العَيْشُ واكتِسَابُهُ

Anyone whose drink has not been refined by its like

He who has not savored its drink

Knows neither what life is nor how to attain it.

Knows not how to live and gain in life