قُم صاحِ نَلتَقِطِ اللَذّاتِ إِن ذَهَلَت

قُم صاحِ نَلتَقِطِ اللَذّاتِ إِن ذَهَلَت

بَنو اللَقيطَةِ مِن ذُهلِ بنِ شَيبانا

بَنو اللَقيطَةِ مِن ذُهلِ بنِ شَيبانا

Rise, friend; let us gather pleasures, if they grow heedless—

Arise, my friend, and gather life's pleasures before they fade away

the sons of the foundling woman, of Dhuhl son of Shayban.

The sons of obscurity, from the tribe of Shayban.

وَلا تُطِع في اِطِّراحِ الراحِ ذا مَلَقٍ

وَلا تُطِع في اِطِّراحِ الراحِ ذا مَلَقٍ

عِندَ الحَفيظَةِ إِن ذو لَوثَةٍ لانا

عِندَ الحَفيظَةِ إِن ذو لَوثَةٍ لانا

And do not heed a flatterer urging you to cast wine aside,

Do not heed the urging of one with tainted garb

in a moment of indignation, if a weakling grows soft.

To cast off your inhibitions when vigilance is called for.

أَما تَرى الصَحبَ إِذ نادى النَديمُ بِهِم

أَما تَرى الصَحبَ إِذ نادى النَديمُ بِهِم

طاروا إِلَيهِ زُرافاتٍ وَوُحدانا

طاروا إِلَيهِ زُرافاتٍ وَوُحدانا

Do you not see how the companions, when the drinking companion called them,

Do you not see, when the cupbearer calls out to the revelers

flew to him in groups and singly?

They flock to him eagerly, both horse and rider?

إِن قالَ هُبّوا لَها كانَ السُرورُ لَهُ

إِن قالَ هُبّوا لَها كانَ السُرورُ لَهُ

في النائِباتِ عَلى ما قالَ بُرهانا

في النائِباتِ عَلى ما قالَ بُرهانا

If he says, 'Rise for it!' joy serves him

If he says "Drink!" their joy is in obeying

amid calamities as proof of what he said.

His command, for so proof has shown.

قَومٌ أَقاموا عَلى لَذّاتِ أَنفُسِهِم

قَومٌ أَقاموا عَلى لَذّاتِ أَنفُسِهِم

لَيسوا مِنَ الشَرِّ في شَيءٍ وَإِن هانا

لَيسوا مِنَ الشَرِّ في شَيءٍ وَإِن هانا

A people who remain devoted to their own pleasures

A people who pursue their own desires

have no part in evil, even if it is slight.

Are beyond reproach, though scorned by others.

لَم يَسأَلوا عَن وُلاةِ الجَورِ مَعدَلَةً

لَم يَسأَلوا عَن وُلاةِ الجَورِ مَعدَلَةً

وَمِن إِساءَةِ أَهلِ السوءِ إِحسانا

وَمِن إِساءَةِ أَهلِ السوءِ إِحسانا

They sought no justice from rulers of oppression,

They seek no redress from tyrannical rulers,

nor kindness from the wrongdoing of the wicked.

Nor return good for the evil done by the wicked.

قَد أَقسَمَ الدَهرُ أَنَّ العَينَ ما نَظَرَت

قَد أَقسَمَ الدَهرُ أَنَّ العَينَ ما نَظَرَت

سِواهُمُ مِن جَميعِ الناسِ إِنسانا

سِواهُمُ مِن جَميعِ الناسِ إِنسانا

Time has sworn that the eye has never seen

Time has sworn that no human eye has seen

among all humankind, any human being other than them.

The likes of them among all men.

يُبدونَ عِندَ الرِضى ليناً فَإِن غَضِبوا

يُبدونَ عِندَ الرِضى ليناً فَإِن غَضِبوا

شَنّوا الإِغارَةَ فُرساناً وَرُكبانا

شَنّوا الإِغارَةَ فُرساناً وَرُكبانا

They show gentleness when pleased; but if they grow angry,

Meek when content, but stirred to rage

they launch raids as horsemen and camel riders.

They take up both spear and sword.