O cupbearer, the vessel of wine reached right up to me and then turned back; did the river flow in reverse today, or did the wind blow backwards?
The poet paints a charming picture of the wine-cup as a little boat sailing through the gathering, only to turn away the moment it reaches his shore. Left empty-handed while everyone else is served, he playfully asks the Saqi if nature has reversed its laws today—did the river flow upstream or the wind change its course? It captures the tragicomic sting of bad luck, where joy arrives within arm's reach only to slip away.
Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.
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