في الكيسِ لي عِوَضٌ عَمّا حَوى الكاسُ

في الكيسِ لي عِوَضٌ عَمّا حَوى الكاسُ

وَفي القَراطيسِ عَمّا ضَمَّتِ الطاسُ

وَفي القَراطيسِ عَمّا ضَمَّتِ الطاسُ

In the pouch I have a substitute for what the cup held,

In my purse I have comfort for what the cup contained,

And in sheets of paper, for what the drinking bowl contained.

And in parchment, for what the tray gathered.

وَبِالجَديدِ غَرامي لا مُعَتَّقَةٍ

وَبِالجَديدِ غَرامي لا مُعَتَّقَةٍ

وَسواسُها في صُدورِ الناسِ خَنّاسُ

وَسواسُها في صُدورِ الناسِ خَنّاسُ

And my passion is for the fresh, not for aged wine

With the new wine my love is unshackled,

Whose whisperer slinks within people's breasts.

Its mischief in people’s hearts a sly sneak.

مُدامَةٌ مالَها في الرَأسِ وَسوَسَةٌ

مُدامَةٌ مالَها في الرَأسِ وَسوَسَةٌ

تُطغي النُفوسَ وَلا في الصَدرِ وَسواسُ

تُطغي النُفوسَ وَلا في الصَدرِ وَسواسُ

A wine with no whispering in the head

An intoxicant it has no delusions in the head,

To drive souls to excess, nor any whisperer in the breast.

It overcomes souls without qualms in the chest.

وَلا تُكَلِّفُ نَفساً غَيرَ طاقَتِها

وَلا تُكَلِّفُ نَفساً غَيرَ طاقَتِها

وَلا يَخافُ بِها ضُرٌّ وَإِفلاسُ

وَلا يَخافُ بِها ضُرٌّ وَإِفلاسُ

Nor does it burden a soul beyond its capacity,

It does not task a soul beyond its strength,

Nor does one fear harm or bankruptcy from it.

Nor does harm or bankruptcy with it one fear.

كَم بَينَ خَمرٍ يَخافُ الحَدَّ شارِبُها

كَم بَينَ خَمرٍ يَخافُ الحَدَّ شارِبُها

وَخَمرَةٍ ما عَلى شُرّابِها باسُ

وَخَمرَةٍ ما عَلى شُرّابِها باسُ

How great the difference between wine whose drinker fears the prescribed punishment

How many a wine its drinker fears punishment,

And a wine whose drinkers face no harm!

And a wine that its pourer has no affliction.

وَلا نَبيتُ إِذا شِئنا نُعاقِرُها

وَلا نَبيتُ إِذا شِئنا نُعاقِرُها

لَنا عَلى البابِ حُفّاظٌ وَحُرّاسُ

لَنا عَلى البابِ حُفّاظٌ وَحُرّاسُ

Nor, when we wish to drink it deeply, do we spend the night

We pass the night tippling it if we so fancy,

With watchmen and guards at our door.

For at the door we’ve guards and watchmen.

حَوضُ الدَواةِ لَها جانٍ وَمِزوَدُها

حَوضُ الدَواةِ لَها جانٍ وَمِزوَدُها

دَنٌّ وَكاساتُها ظِفرٌ وَقِرطاسُ

دَنٌّ وَكاساتُها ظِفرٌ وَقِرطاسُ

The inkwell's basin is its 'gatherer' [perhaps 'cup']; its provision-bag

The inkpot is attended and restocked for it,

Is a cask, and its cups are a fingernail and a sheet of paper.

Nearby and its cups are fingers and paper.