لأَحسَنُ مِن مُصافَحَةِ الصِفاحِ

لأَحسَنُ مِن مُصافَحَةِ الصِفاحِ

وَمِن وَقعِ الرِماحِ عَلى الرِماحِ

وَمِن وَقعِ الرِماحِ عَلى الرِماحِ

Surely lovelier than the handclasp of sword blades,

More beautiful than the clasping of hands in reconciliation,

And than the clash of spears against spears,

And the clashing of spears upon spears,

بِقاعٌ تَرقُصُ الأَمواجُ فيها

بِقاعٌ تَرقُصُ الأَمواجُ فيها

عَلى النَغَماتِ مِن زَمرِ الرِياحِ

عَلى النَغَماتِ مِن زَمرِ الرِياحِ

Are lands where the waves dance

Is a place where waves dance,

To melodies from the winds’ piping;

To the tunes of the blowing winds.

وَأَغصانٌ يُذَهِّبُها بَهارٌ

وَأَغصانٌ يُذَهِّبُها بَهارٌ

وَغيطانٌ يُفَضِّضُها أَقاحي

وَغيطانٌ يُفَضِّضُها أَقاحي

And branches gilded by yellow blossoms,

Branches taken away by spring,

And meadows silvered by daisies;

And meadows adorned with flowers.

وَأَنداءٌ إِذا سُلَّت عَلَيها

وَأَنداءٌ إِذا سُلَّت عَلَيها

سُيوفُ البَرقِ تُبطَحُ في البِطاحِ

سُيوفُ البَرقِ تُبطَحُ في البِطاحِ

And dews that, when above them are drawn

Echoes, when swords of lightning are unsheathed upon them,

The swords of lightning, are laid low upon the plains;

Lie slain in the valley.

وَكاساتٌ تَدورُ عَلى النَدامى

وَكاساتٌ تَدورُ عَلى النَدامى

بِأَجسامٍ لَها أَرواحُ راحِ

بِأَجسامٍ لَها أَرواحُ راحِ

And goblets passed round among drinking companions,

Goblets circle among the revelers,

With bodies whose souls are wine;

With bodies that have free spirits.

وَساقِيَةٌ تَحُضُّ عَلى اِنتِحابٍ

وَساقِيَةٌ تَحُضُّ عَلى اِنتِحابٍ

وَمُلهِيَةٌ تَحُثُّ عَلى اِقتِراحِ

وَمُلهِيَةٌ تَحُثُّ عَلى اِقتِراحِ

And a waterwheel urging sobs,

A cupbearer who rouses selection,

And a songstress inviting requests;

And a entertainer who suggests proposal.

وَأَنهارٌ تُنَضَّدُ لِاِغتِباقٍ

وَأَنهارٌ تُنَضَّدُ لِاِغتِباقٍ

وَفاكِهَةٌ تُجَدِّدُ لِاِصطِباحِ

وَفاكِهَةٌ تُجَدِّدُ لِاِصطِباحِ

And rivers arrayed for the evening draught,

Rivers that flow to be sipped,

And fruit that refreshes for the morning draught,

And fruits that ripen for breakfast.

تَفوحُ لَنا بِمِسكٍ تُبَّتِيٍّ

تَفوحُ لَنا بِمِسكٍ تُبَّتِيٍّ

وَتَنفَحُنا بِكافورَ رَباحي

وَتَنفَحُنا بِكافورَ رَباحي

Breathing for us the fragrance of Tibetan musk,

Diffusing musk and ambergris,

And wafting over us the scent of Rabahi camphor.

And exhaling camphor and fragrance.

فَكُن بِاللَهوِ مُتَّشِحاً إِذا ما

فَكُن بِاللَهوِ مُتَّشِحاً إِذا ما

رَأَيتَ الأَرضَ تُجلى في وِشاحِ

رَأَيتَ الأَرضَ تُجلى في وِشاحِ

So drape yourself in merriment whenever

So revel if you see the land

You see the earth unveiled in a sash.

Dressed in fine garb.

فَقَد لاحَت مِنَ الأَشجارِ غُلفٌ

فَقَد لاحَت مِنَ الأَشجارِ غُلفٌ

مُفَتَّحَةٌ عَنِ المُلَحِ المِلاحِ

مُفَتَّحَةٌ عَنِ المُلَحِ المِلاحِ

For sheaths have emerged from the trees,

For the trees have burst into bloom,

Opened to reveal lovely delights.

Revealing the salt and wit.

وَكانَ الجَوُّ ذا شَعَثٍ فَأَضحى

وَكانَ الجَوُّ ذا شَعَثٍ فَأَضحى

وَقُبَّتَهُ مُرَخَّمَةُ النَواحي

وَقُبَّتَهُ مُرَخَّمَةُ النَواحي

And the sky was disheveled; now

The sky was disheveled but is now

Its dome is marbled along the sides.

Dotted with stars.

وَإِن جَمَحَ الزَمانُ إِلى التَصابي

وَإِن جَمَحَ الزَمانُ إِلى التَصابي

فَحََّ عِنانَهُ طَوعَ الجِماحِ

فَحََّ عِنانَهُ طَوعَ الجِماحِ

And if time bolts toward youthful folly,

And if time inclines to conflict,

Then [loosen] its rein, yielding to its bolting.

It has loosened the reins to peace.

فَصُبحُ العَيشِ سَوفَ يَعودُ لَيلاً

فَصُبحُ العَيشِ سَوفَ يَعودُ لَيلاً

إِذا ما اللَيلُ نُغِّصَ بِالصَباحِ

إِذا ما اللَيلُ نُغِّصَ بِالصَباحِ

For the morning of life will turn to night

For the life of delight will again turn to night,

When the night is spoiled by morning.

If the night is marred by dawn.

أَتَطمَعُ بَعدَ شَيبِكَ في سُرورٍ

أَتَطمَعُ بَعدَ شَيبِكَ في سُرورٍ

مُحالٌ اَن تَطيرَ بِلا جَناحِ

مُحالٌ اَن تَطيرَ بِلا جَناحِ

Do you hope for joy after your hair has grayed?

After your old age, do you still hope for joy?

It is impossible for you to fly without a wing.

It's impossible to fly without wings.