أَدِرِpass around الكَأسَthe cup يَميناًto the right
أَدِرِ الكَأسَ يَميناً
لاdo not تُدِرهاpass it around لِيَسارِto the left
لا تُدِرها لِيَسارِ
Pass the cup to the right;
Turn the cup gently to the right,
do not pass it to the left.
Do not turn it to the left instead.
إِسقِgive drink to هذاthis one ثُمَّthen هذاthis one
إِسقِ هذا ثُمَّ هذا
صاحِبَthe player of العودِthe lute النَضارِgolden
صاحِبَ العودِ النَضارِ
Give this one drink, then that one,
Pour this one and pour that one,
the player of the golden lute,
For the lively lute player.
مِنfrom كُمَيتٍreddish-brown wine عَتَّقوهاthey aged it
مِن كُمَيتٍ عَتَّقوها
مُنذُsince دَهرٍan age فيin جِرارِjars
مُنذُ دَهرٍ في جِرارِ
of a reddish-brown wine they aged
From an ancient jar they unsealed,
for ages in jars.
Preserved for ages in vessels.
خَتَموهاthey sealed it بِالأَفاويwith spices (word continues)
خَتَموها بِالأَفاوي
هِcompletion of 'spices' وَكافورٍand camphor وِقارِand pitch
هِ وَكافورٍ وِقارِ
They sealed it with spices,
Sealed with musk, camphor and agar,
and camphor and pitch.
My friend, bring it closer to me.
قَرِّباbring near (you two) مِنّيto me خَليليmy close friend
قَرِّبا مِنّي خَليلي
عَبدَلاAbdala (name) دونَbeneath الشِعارِthe undergarment
عَبدَلا دونَ الشِعارِ
Bring my close friend near to me,
Pour for Abdela without pride,
Abdala, beneath the undergarment.
And for Ibn Harb also pour.
وَاِسقِيانيand give me drink (you two) وَاِبنَand the son of حَربٍHarb (name)
وَاِسقِياني وَاِبنَ حَربٍ
وَاِستُراناand cover us (you two) بِالإِزارِwith the waistcloth
وَاِستُرانا بِالإِزارِ
And give me and Ibn Harb drink,
Cover us both in robes,
and cover us with the waistcloth.
For I know I am not for hellfire.
فَلَقَدfor indeed أَيقَنتُI became certain أَنّيthat I
فَلَقَد أَيقَنتُ أَنّي
غَيرُnot مَبعوثٍresurrected لِنارِfor the Fire
غَيرُ مَبعوثٍ لِنارِ
For I have become certain that I
I will tame people until,
shall not be resurrected for the Fire.
They ride the donkey’s faith.
سَأَروضُI shall tame الناسَthe people حَتّىuntil
سَأَروضُ الناسَ حَتّى
يَركَبواthey ride دينَthe religion of الحِمارِthe donkey
يَركَبوا دينَ الحِمارِ
I shall tame the people until
And leave those who seek paradise,
they ride the donkey's religion.
Struggling fruitlessly ahead.
وَاِترُكاand leave (you two) مَنwhoever طَلَبَsought الجَنْParadise (word continues)
وَاِترُكا مَن طَلَبَ الجَنْ
نةَcompletion of 'Paradise' يَسعىhe strives فيin خَسارِloss
نةَ يَسعى في خَسارِ
And leave whoever seeks Paradise
to strive in loss.
Partial English translation: 16 of 18 Arabic lines translated.