لَقَد بَدا ثَمِلاً مالَتهُ نَشوَتُهُ

لَقَد بَدا ثَمِلاً مالَتهُ نَشوَتُهُ

وَعَربدَت عندَ سُكرٍ مِنهُ مُقلتُهُ

وَعَربدَت عندَ سُكرٍ مِنهُ مُقلتُهُ

Indeed, he appeared drunk; his drunken elation made him sway.

His intoxication has clearly appeared, his joy has declined

And his eye ran riot in his drunkenness.

And his eyelids fluttered from his drunkenness

فَثَغرُهُ الكاسُ وَالصَّهباءُ ريقتُهُ

فَثَغرُهُ الكاسُ وَالصَّهباءُ ريقتُهُ

يَسقي وَيَشربُ لا تُلهيه سَكرتُهُ

يَسقي وَيَشربُ لا تُلهيه سَكرتُهُ

So his mouth is the cup, and his saliva the tawny wine.

His lips are the goblet and his saliva is his drink

He gives drink and drinks; his drunkenness does not distract him

He pours and drinks without being distracted by his drunkenness

عَنِ المُدامِ ولا يَلهو عَنِ الكاسِ

عَنِ المُدامِ ولا يَلهو عَنِ الكاسِ

هِلالُ حُسنٍ بِهِ بَدرُ السّماءِ فُتِنْ

هِلالُ حُسنٍ بِهِ بَدرُ السّماءِ فُتِنْ

from the wine, nor is he distracted from the cup.

From the wine, nor does he get distracted from the goblet

A crescent of beauty, by whom heaven’s full moon was enchanted.

A crescent of beauty, in it a full moon of the sky seduced

وَصارَ كُلُّ بَليدٍ في هَواهُ فَطِنْ

وَصارَ كُلُّ بَليدٍ في هَواهُ فَطِنْ

لَمّا تَصاحى وَفِعلُ الخَمرِ فيهِ كَمَنْ

لَمّا تَصاحى وَفِعلُ الخَمرِ فيهِ كَمَنْ

And every dullard grew astute in loving him.

And every slow wit became sharp in his love

When he feigned sobriety, though the wine’s effect lay hidden within him,

When he sobered up and the effect of wine was still in him like someone who

أَطاعَهُ سُكرُهُ حتّى تَمَكّنَ مِنْ

أَطاعَهُ سُكرُهُ حتّى تَمَكّنَ مِنْ

فِعلِ الصُحاةِ فَهذا سَيِّدُ النّاسِ

فِعلِ الصُحاةِ فَهذا سَيِّدُ النّاسِ

his drunkenness obeyed him until he was able to

His drunkenness obeyed him until it overpowered

act as the sober do—so this is the master of men.

The actions of sobriety, thus he is the master of people