جدّداrenew, you two مجلساًa gathering لعهدِfor the days of الشبابِyouth
جدّدا مجلساً لعهدِ الشبابِ
ولذكرِand for recalling الآدابِliterary culture والأطرابِand delights
ولذكرِ الآدابِ والأطرابِ
Renew, you two, a gathering for the days of youth,
Renew a gathering for the era of youth
and for recalling letters and delights.
And for the memory of etiquette and joy
واسقيانيand give me drink, you two إذاwhen تجاوبتanswered one another الأطthe birds (word begins)
واسقياني إذا تجاوبت الأط
يارُbirds (word ends) رطلينِtwo ratls (weight measures) بادكارِin remembrance of الشبابyouth
يارُ رطلينِ بادكارِ الشباب
And give me to drink, when the birds answer one another,
And let me drink when the companions respond
two ratls, in remembrance of youth,
O two measures of pure wine of youth
فيamong كهولٍmiddle-aged men إذاwhen استدرّتflowed freely حمياthe fiery strength of الكthe cup (word begins)
في كهولٍ إذا استدرّت حميا الك
أسِcup (word ends) لمdid not ينطقواthey speak بغيرِanything other than الصوابِwhat is right
أسِ لم ينطقوا بغيرِ الصوابِ
among middle-aged men who, when the wine-cup's fire flows freely,
When the zeal of the old flares up
speak nothing but what is right.
They do not speak except truth
نظرواthey studied فيinto الكلامِdiscourse والنحوِand grammar والشعand poetry (word begins)
نظروا في الكلامِ والنحوِ والشع
رِpoetry (word ends) فهمso they are حجةan authority علىover الألبابِdiscerning minds
رِ فهم حجة على الألبابِ
They have studied discourse, grammar, and poetry;
They looked into speech, grammar and poetry
so they are an authority for discerning minds.
So they are proof for the intelligent
وإذاand whenever ماan emphatic particle هفاerred النديمُthe drinking companion أقاpardoned (word begins)
وإذا ما هفا النديمُ أقا
لوهُthey pardoned him (word ends) وردّواand held back الأحلامَminds; good sense دونَshort of الوثابِpouncing
لوهُ وردّوا الأحلامَ دونَ الوثابِ
And whenever a drinking companion errs, they pardon
And when the boon companion murmurs
him, and hold their minds back from pouncing.
They respond with dreams not with folly