أَحسَنُ مِن مَنزِلٍ بِذي قارِ

أَحسَنُ مِن مَنزِلٍ بِذي قارِ

مَنزِلُ خَمّارَةٍ بِالأَنبارِ

مَنزِلُ خَمّارَةٍ بِالأَنبارِ

Better than a dwelling at Dhu Qar

Better than a campsite at Dhi Qar,

is a female wine-seller's dwelling in al-Anbar.

Is the house of a tavern-keeper in al-Anbar.

وَشَمُّ رَيحانَةٍ وَنَرجِسَةٍ

وَشَمُّ رَيحانَةٍ وَنَرجِسَةٍ

أَحسَنُ مِن أَينُقٍ بِأَكوارِ

أَحسَنُ مِن أَينُقٍ بِأَكوارِ

And smelling basil and a narcissus

And the scent of sweet basil and narcissus

is better than she-camels with saddles.

Is better than she-camels bearing saddles.

وَعِشرَةٌ لِلقِيانِ في دَعَةٍ

وَعِشرَةٌ لِلقِيانِ في دَعَةٍ

مَع رَشَأٍ عاقِدٍ لِزُنّارِ

مَع رَشَأٍ عاقِدٍ لِزُنّارِ

And companionship with singing girls, at ease,

And intimacy with singing-girls in comfort,

with a young gazelle who has tied on a girdle,

Beside a young gazelle fastening a zunnar belt,

أَلَذُّ مِن مَهمَهٍ أَكِدُّ بِهِ

أَلَذُّ مِن مَهمَهٍ أَكِدُّ بِهِ

وَمِن سَرابٍ أَجوبُ غَرّارِ

وَمِن سَرابٍ أَجوبُ غَرّارِ

is more delightful than a trackless desert where I toil,

Is more delightful than a desert where I labor,

and than a deceptive mirage I traverse.

And a deceptive mirage that I traverse.

وَنَقرُ عودٍ إِذا تُرَجِّعُهُ

وَنَقرُ عودٍ إِذا تُرَجِّعُهُ

بَنانُ رَودِ الشَبابِ مِعطارِ

بَنانُ رَودِ الشَبابِ مِعطارِ

And the plucking of a lute, when it is made to resound

And the plucking of an oud, when resonated

by the fingers of a tender, perfumed youth,

By the fingertips of tender, perfumed youth,

أَحسَنُ عِندي مِن أُمِّ ناجِيَةٍ

أَحسَنُ عِندي مِن أُمِّ ناجِيَةٍ

وَأُمِّ عَمرٍ وَأُمِّ عَمّارِ

وَأُمِّ عَمرٍ وَأُمِّ عَمّارِ

is better in my view than Umm Najiya,

Is better to me than Umm Najiya,

and Umm Amr and Umm Ammar.

And Umm Amr, and Umm Ammar.