حّبذاhow delightful طِيبُsweetness وقتِناour time المأنوسconvivial
حّبذا طِيبُ وقتِنا المأنوس
بينamid شَدْوِmelodious singing الغِناsong وحثّand hastening الكؤوسِthe cups
بين شَدْوِ الغِنا وحثّ الكؤوسِ
How delightful the sweetness of our convivial time,
How delightful the sweetness of our convivial time,
amid melodious song and the passing round of cups
Amid lilting song and the swift passing of cups,
منof مُدامٍwine بهاthrough it يعِيشlives التصابيyouthful dalliance
من مُدامٍ بها يعِيش التصابي
وتُداوَىand are healed معلِّلاتafflictions النفوسِof souls
وتُداوَى معلِّلات النفوسِ
of wine, by which youthful ardor comes alive,
Of wine through which youthful dalliance lives,
and which heals afflicted souls.
And the afflictions of souls are healed.
غرُبتit set فيin الشفاهِthe lips ماءًas water ولكِنbut
غرُبت في الشفاهِ ماءً ولكِن
طلعتit rose فيin الخدودthe cheeks مثلَlike الشموسِthe suns
طلعت في الخدود مثلَ الشموسِ
It set upon the lips as water, yet
It set in the lips as water, yet
rose in the cheeks like suns.
It rose in the cheeks like suns.
وكأنand as though النجومthe stars فيin غَسَقِthe darkness of الليthe night (first part)
وكأن النجوم في غَسَقِ اللي
لِcompletion of 'the night' جُمَانpearls يلوحgleaming فيin آبِنوسِebony
لِ جُمَان يلوح في آبِنوسِ
And the stars in the deep gloom of night seem
And it is as though the stars in night's darkness
indeed like pearls gleaming against ebony.
Were pearls gleaming in ebony.