شَعشِعِdilute الخَمرَthe wine وهاتِand bring
شَعشِعِ الخَمرَ وهاتِ
الكأسَthe cup منof نارٍfire ونورand light
الكأسَ من نارٍ ونور
Mingle the wine till it gleams, and bring
Dilute the wine, and bring
the cup of fire and light.
the cup of fire and light.
علَّنيperhaps I أعلَمُI learn بعضَsome
علَّني أعلَمُ بعضَ
العِلمِknowledge ماwhat مَعنىmeaning السُرورjoy
العِلمِ ما مَعنى السُرور
Teach me, from your store of knowledge, something
Perhaps I may gain a little
of knowledge: what does joy mean?
knowledge of what joy means.
ياO ندِيميmy drinking companion وانسَand forget ماwhat
يا ندِيمي وانسَ ما
كانwas وماand what سوفَwill يَصِيرcome to be
كان وما سوفَ يَصِير
O my companion, forget what
O my drinking companion, forget what
has been and what shall be.
has been and what will come to pass.
ودَعِand abandon العَتبَreproach علىagainst الدَهرِTime
ودَعِ العَتبَ على الدَهرِ
فلاfor ... not تَدريknow الدُهورthe ages
فلا تَدري الدُهور
Leave off reproaching Time,
And cease reproaching Time,
for you cannot fathom the ages.
for the ages know nothing.
قُمrise بناwith us نطلُبُwe seek لَهواًdiversion
قُم بنا نطلُبُ لَهواً
غيرَother than عُودٍa lute وزُمُورand piping
غيرَ عُودٍ وزُمُور
Rise—let us seek amusement
Come, let us seek diversion
without lute or pipes.
other than lute and piping.
نَتَأملwe contemplate مَسرَحَthe stage الدُنياthe world
نَتَأمل مَسرَحَ الدُنيا
بِطَرفٍwith a gaze لاnot يَحُورturns back
بِطَرفٍ لا يَحُور
Let us contemplate the stage of the world
Let us contemplate the world's stage
with a gaze that never strays.
with a gaze that does not turn away.
تُبصِرُyou see الناسَthe people عليهupon it
تُبصِرُ الناسَ عليه
كألاعِيبٍlike playthings تَدورspin
كألاعِيبٍ تَدور
You will see the people upon it
You see people upon it
whirling like playthings.
like playthings spinning.
كلُّهُمall of them يَلعَبُplays دَوراًa role
كلُّهُم يَلعَبُ دَوراً
غيرَother than ماwhat يَخفِيconceals الضَميرthe inner self
غيرَ ما يَخفِي الضَمير
Each of them plays a role
Each of them plays a role
that belies what conscience hides.
unlike what the inner self conceals.
إِنَّindeed ماwhat لاحَappears هوit is غيرُother than
إِنَّ ما لاحَ هو غيرُ
الذيthat which خَلفَbehind السُتورthe curtains
الذي خَلفَ السُتور
What appears is something other than
Indeed, what appears is other than
what lies behind the curtains.
what lies behind the curtains.
ياO نديميmy drinking companion إِنَّindeed بعضَsome of الناسthe people
يا نديمي إِنَّ بعضَ الناس
إِنif جُستَyou probe الأمورaffairs
إِن جُستَ الأمور
O companion, among some people,
O my drinking companion, indeed among people,
if you probe affairs,
if you probe affairs,
عالِمٌa scholar يَبحَثُhe searches طُولَthroughout
عالِمٌ يَبحَثُ طُولَ
العُمرِlife ماwhat بينَbetween السُطورthe lines
العُمرِ ما بينَ السُطور
is a scholar who spends all
is a scholar who searches all
his life searching between the lines,
his life for what lies between the lines.
جامعٌgathering فيin صَدرِهِhis breast ماwhat
جامعٌ في صَدرِهِ ما
ليسَnot تَحويهcontain it الصُدورthe breasts
ليسَ تَحويه الصُدور
gathering within his breast what
He gathers in his breast what
other breasts cannot contain.
other breasts do not contain.
ماwhat تُراهdo you think he حازَhas gained منfrom
ما تُراه حازَ من
فَهمِunderstanding الأحاجيriddles والجُذورand roots
فَهمِ الأحاجي والجُذور
What do you think he has gained
What do you think he has gained from
from fathoming riddles and roots?
understanding riddles and roots?
آهah هلdoes ...? يَحترِمُrespect الأعلامَthe eminent
آه هل يَحترِمُ الأعلامَ
دُودٌworms فيin القُبورthe graves
دُودٌ في القُبور
Ah, are the eminent respected by
Ah, are the eminent respected
worms in the graves?
by worms in the graves?
دَعكَspare yourself منهof him واقلِبِand turn
دَعكَ منه واقلِبِ
الصَفحةَthe page فيin سِفرِthe book الدُهورthe ages
الصَفحةَ في سِفرِ الدُهور
Leave him, and turn
Leave him be, and turn
the page in the chronicle of the ages.
the page in the book of ages.
ياO نديميmy drinking companion إِنَّindeed بعضَsome of الناسِthe people
يا نديمي إِنَّ بعضَ الناسِ
إِنif جُستَyou probe الأمورaffairs
إِن جُستَ الأمور
O companion, among some people,
O my drinking companion, indeed among people,
if you probe affairs,
if you probe affairs,
ذوpossessor of ثَراءٍwealth يَحسِبُhe considers المالَmoney
ذو ثَراءٍ يَحسِبُ المالَ
غِنىًwealth وَهوand it is غُرورdelusion
غِنىً وَهو غُرور
is a man of wealth who counts money
is a wealthy man who takes money
as riches—though that is delusion.
for wealth, though it is delusion.
يَملِكُhe owns المالَmoney ولكنbut
يَملِكُ المالَ ولكن
هوhe للمالِto money أجِيرa hired servant
هو للمالِ أجِير
He owns the money, yet
He owns the money, but
he is money’s hired hand.
he is money's hired servant.
دَعكَspare yourself منهof him واقلِبِand turn
دَعكَ منه واقلِبِ
الصَفحةَthe page فيin سِفرِthe book الدُهورthe ages
الصَفحةَ في سِفرِ الدُهور
Leave him, and turn
Leave him be, and turn
the page in the chronicle of the ages.
the page in the book of ages.
ياO نديميmy drinking companion إِنَّindeed بعضsome of الناسِthe people
يا نديمي إِنَّ بعض الناسِ
إِنif جُستَyou probe الأمورaffairs
إِن جُستَ الأمور
O companion, among some people,
O my drinking companion, indeed among people,
if you probe affairs,
if you probe affairs,
تاجرٌa merchant يطلُبُhe seeks رِبحاprofit
تاجرٌ يطلُبُ رِبحا
منfrom بِضاعاتٍwares ودُورand houses
من بِضاعاتٍ ودُور
is a merchant seeking profit
is a merchant seeking profit
from wares and houses.
from wares and houses.
يَضرِبُhe multiplies الخَمسَfive بسُدسٍby a sixth
يَضرِبُ الخَمسَ بسُدسٍ
وصحيحاًand a whole number بكُسورby fractions
وصحيحاً بكُسور
He multiplies five by a sixth
He multiplies five by a sixth,
and whole numbers by fractions.
and a whole number by fractions.
يَسهَدُhe stays awake الليلَat night لِخَوفٍfor fear
يَسهَدُ الليلَ لِخَوفٍ
مِنof مَتاعٍmerchandise أَنthat يَبُورgo unsold
مِن مَتاعٍ أَن يَبُور
He lies awake at night, fearing
He stays awake at night for fear
lest his wares go unsold.
of wares that may go unsold.
ثُمthen يَنسىhe forgets المَتجرَthe commerce الأسمىthe loftiest
ثُم يَنسى المَتجرَ الأسمى
لدىwhen حَسبِreckoning الأجورthe rewards
لدى حَسبِ الأجور
Then he forgets the nobler commerce
Then he forgets the loftiest commerce
at the reckoning of rewards.
when reckoning rewards.
دَعكَspare yourself منهof him واقلِبِand turn
دَعكَ منه واقلِبِ
الصَفحةَthe page فيin سِفرِthe book الدُهورthe ages
الصَفحةَ في سِفرِ الدُهور
Leave him, and turn
Leave him be, and turn
the page in the chronicle of the ages.
the page in the book of ages.
ياO نديميmy drinking companion إِنindeed بعضَsome of الناسthe people
يا نديمي إِن بعضَ الناس
إِنif جُستَyou probe الأمورaffairs
إِن جُستَ الأمور
O companion, among some people,
O my drinking companion, indeed among people,
if you probe affairs,
if you probe affairs,
عاشقٌa lover يرقُبُhe watches فيin
عاشقٌ يرقُبُ في
الظَلماءِthe darkness أنوارَthe lights الخُدورwomen's chambers
الظَلماءِ أنوارَ الخُدور
is a lover watching, in
is a lover who watches, in
the darkness, ladies behind their curtains.
the darkness, the lights of women's chambers.
همُّهُhis concern أنto يتَلهَّىamuse himself
همُّهُ أن يتَلهَّى
بِنحُورٍwith bosoms وثُغورand lips
بِنحُورٍ وثُغور
His whole concern is to sport
His concern is to amuse himself
with bosoms and smiling mouths.
with bosoms and lips.
يقبلُhe directs النفسَthe soul علىtoward
يقبلُ النفسَ على
مرأىthe sight of قُدودٍfigures وخُصورand waists
مرأى قُدودٍ وخُصور
He turns his soul toward
He turns his soul toward
the sight of shapely forms and waists.
the sight of figures and waists.
ماwhat تُراهdo you think he يَرتجيhopes for منfrom
ما تُراه يَرتجي من
وَصلِunion with غاداتٍgraceful maidens وحُورand wide-eyed beauties
وَصلِ غاداتٍ وحُور
What does he hope to gain
What do you think he hopes for from
from union with belles and houris?
union with graceful maidens and wide-eyed beauties?
واذاand when ماemphasis شَبِعَis sated الجِسمُthe body
واذا ما شَبِعَ الجِسمُ
وأضناهُand has exhausted it الفُتورlanguor
وأضناهُ الفُتور
And once the body has had its fill
And when the body is sated
and languor has exhausted him,
and languor has exhausted it,
أنزِلَwas brought down الحُبُّlove عنfrom العَرشِthe throne
أنزِلَ الحُبُّ عن العَرشِ
إلىto سُوقِthe marketplace الفُجورdebauchery
إلى سُوقِ الفُجور
love is brought down from the throne
love is brought down from the throne
to the marketplace of vice.
to the marketplace of debauchery.
دَعكَspare yourself منهof him واقلِبِand turn
دَعكَ منه واقلِبِ
الصَفحةَthe page فيin سِفرِthe book الدُهورthe ages
الصَفحةَ في سِفرِ الدُهور
Leave him, and turn
Leave him be, and turn
the page in the chronicle of the ages.
the page in the book of ages.
ياO نديميmy drinking companion إِنَّindeed بعضَsome of الناسِthe people
يا نديمي إِنَّ بعضَ الناسِ
إِنif جُستَyou probe الأمورaffairs
إِن جُستَ الأمور
O companion, among some people,
O my drinking companion, indeed among people,
if you probe affairs,
if you probe affairs,
شاعرٌa poet مهنتهُhis craft صَوغُforging
شاعرٌ مهنتهُ صَوغُ
القَوافيrhymes منfrom شُعورfeeling
القَوافي من شُعور
is a poet whose craft is casting
is a poet whose craft is forging
rhymes out of feeling.
rhymes from feeling.
يَعشَقُhe loves الحُسنَbeauty وَيبنيand builds
يَعشَقُ الحُسنَ وَيبني
فيin عُلىthe heights الجَوِّthe sky القُصورpalaces
في عُلى الجَوِّ القُصور
He adores beauty and builds
He loves beauty and builds
castles in the heights of air.
palaces in the heights of the sky.
يَمتطيhe rides الشمسَthe sun وَيَسعىand strides
يَمتطي الشمسَ وَيَسعى
فوقَabove هاماتthe heads البُدورthe full moons
فوقَ هامات البُدور
He mounts the sun and strides
He rides the sun and strides
above the heads of full moons,
above the heads of full moons.
وهوَwhile he فيon الأرضِthe earth يَجُرُّdrags
وهوَ في الأرضِ يَجُرُّ
الرِجلَthe foot تُدميهاmake it bleed الصُخورthe rocks
الرِجلَ تُدميها الصُخور
while upon the earth he drags
Yet on earth he drags
a foot the rocks have bloodied.
his foot, which the rocks make bleed.
يأمُرُhe commands الدَهرَTime وَيَنهاهُand forbids it
يأمُرُ الدَهرَ وَيَنهاهُ
بِبُهتانٍwith calumny وزُورand lies
بِبُهتانٍ وزُور
He commands Time and forbids it
He gives Time commands and prohibitions
with calumny and lies.
with calumny and lies.
دَعكَspare yourself منهof him واقلِبِand turn
دَعكَ منه واقلِبِ
الصَفحةَthe page فيin سِفرِthe book الدُهورthe ages
الصَفحةَ في سِفرِ الدُهور
Leave him, and turn
Leave him be, and turn
the page in the chronicle of the ages.
the page in the book of ages.
ياO نديميmy drinking companion إِننيindeed I أُبصِرُI see
يا نديمي إِنني أُبصِرُ
هلare ...? أنتَyou بَصِيرclear-sighted
هل أنتَ بَصِير
O companion, I can see—
O my drinking companion, indeed I see—
do you have sight?
are you clear-sighted?
ولَعَمريand by my life قدmay يَرىhe sees
ولَعَمري قد يَرى
السكرانُthe drunkard ماwhat يُخفيconceals الضَميرthe inner self
السكرانُ ما يُخفي الضَمير
By my life, the drunkard may see
And by my life, he may see—
what conscience hides.
the drunkard—what the inner self conceals.
إِنَّindeed كلَّall الناسpeople أشباهٌalike
إِنَّ كلَّ الناس أشباهٌ
إذاwhen زِحتَyou draw aside السُتورthe curtains
إذا زِحتَ السُتور
All people are alike
Indeed, all people are alike
once the curtains are drawn aside.
when you draw aside the curtains.
ليسَthere is not فيin الدُنياthe world غنيّa rich person
ليسَ في الدُنيا غنيّ
ليسَthere is not فيin الدنياthe world فَقِيرa poor person
ليسَ في الدنيا فَقِير
There is no rich man in the world,
There is no rich man in the world,
nor is there any poor man.
there is no poor man in the world,
لاno عليمٌlearned person لاno جَهولٌignorant person
لا عليمٌ لا جَهولٌ
لاno عظِيمٌgreat person لاno حقِيرlowly person
لا عظِيمٌ لا حقِير
Neither learned nor ignorant,
none learned, none ignorant,
neither great nor lowly.
none great, none lowly.
كلُّهاall of them حالاتُstates وقتٍa moment
كلُّها حالاتُ وقتٍ
كَغبوقٍlike an evening draught وبُكورand early rising
كَغبوقٍ وبُكور
They are all conditions of an hour,
All are passing states,
like sunset and early morn.
like an evening draught and early rising.
كلُّهاall of them تَمثيلُacting أدوارِroles
كلُّها تَمثيلُ أدوارِ
علىupon مَلهىthe stage العُصورthe ages
على مَلهى العُصور
They are all the acting of roles
All are roles being acted
on the stage of the ages.
upon the stage of the ages.
فالغِنىso wealth والفَقرُand poverty إِنif
فالغِنى والفَقرُ إِن
كنتَyou are غَنياًrich فيin الشُعورfeeling
كنتَ غَنياً في الشُعور
Wealth and poverty are one, if
So wealth and poverty are alike, if
you are rich in feeling;
you are rich in feeling;
والنُهىand wisdom والجَهلُand ignorance إِنif
والنُهى والجَهلُ إِن
كنتَyou are عليماًknowledgeable فيin الصُدورhearts
كنتَ عليماً في الصُدور
and knowledge and ignorance are one, if
and wisdom and ignorance are alike, if
you are learned in what hearts contain.
you know what lies in hearts.
ياO نديميmy drinking companion نحنُwe مثلlike الناسpeople
يا نديمي نحنُ مثل الناس
إِنif جُستَyou probe الأمورaffairs
إِن جُستَ الأمور
O my companion, we are like all people,
O my drinking companion, we are like other people,
if you probe affairs.
if you probe affairs.
كلُّناall of us أسرىcaptives حياةٍa life
كلُّنا أسرى حياةٍ
أذهلتناhas distracted us عنfrom نُشورresurrection
أذهلتنا عن نُشور
We are all captives of a life
All of us are captives of a life
that has distracted us from resurrection.
that has distracted us from resurrection.
نُضرِمُwe kindle النارَthe fire ولاand do not
نُضرِمُ النارَ ولا
نَعلَمُwe know ماwhat تَحويcontain القُدورthe pots
نَعلَمُ ما تَحوي القُدور
We kindle the fire, yet do not
We kindle the fire and do not
know what the pots contain.
know what the pots contain.
فاعطنيso give me الكأسَthe cup وهاتِand bring
فاعطني الكأسَ وهاتِ
الخَمرَthe wine منof نارٍfire ونُورand light
الخَمرَ من نارٍ ونُور
So give me the cup, and bring
So give me the cup, and bring
wine of fire and light.
the wine of fire and light.
ثمthen أيقظنيwake me فإِنand if لمdo not
ثم أيقظني فإِن لم
أَصحُI sober up منfrom سُكرِthe drunkenness الغُرورdelusion
أَصحُ من سُكرِ الغُرور
Then awaken me—and if I do not
Then wake me; and if I do not
come to from the drunkenness of delusion,
sober up from the drunkenness of delusion,
دَعكَspare yourself منيof me واقلِبِand turn
دَعكَ مني واقلِبِ
الصَفحةَthe page فيin سِفرِthe book الدُهورthe ages
الصَفحةَ في سِفرِ الدُهور
leave me, and turn
leave me be, and turn
the page in the chronicle of the ages.
the page in the book of ages.
