لاdo not تَدعُinvite إِلىto الشربِdrinking نَديماًa drinking companion زاراwho visited
لا تَدعُ إِلى الشربِ نَديماً زارا
مِنfrom غيرِother than غناءٍsong يَقِفhalts الأَطياراthe birds
مِن غيرِ غناءٍ يَقِف الأَطيارا
Do not invite a visiting companion to drink
Do not invite a visiting friend to drink
Without song that brings the birds to a halt.
Without song, for the birds stand still.
ماnot صَبَّpoured out دمَblood الزِقِّthe wineskin أُناسٌpeople فجرواthey acted wantonly
ما صَبَّ دمَ الزِقِّ أُناسٌ فجروا
إِلّاexcept وَرأيتُand I saw بينهمamong them أَوتاراstrings
إِلّا وَرأيتُ بينهم أَوتارا
No people ever poured out the wineskin’s blood in wantonness
No blood of grape has people shed
Without my seeing strings among them.
That I have not seen among them strings.