ولم نر بحراً جرى بالعقار

ولم نر بحراً جرى بالعقار

ولا ذهباً صيغ منه جبل

ولا ذهباً صيغ منه جبل

And never had we seen a sea flowing with wine,

We have not seen a sea carrying aloes wood,

nor gold from which a mountain was fashioned,

Nor gold being molded into a mountain,

إلى أن جرت دجله في الشعاع

إلى أن جرت دجله في الشعاع

وطنب بالنور اعلى القلل

وطنب بالنور اعلى القلل

until the Tigris flowed amid radiance,

Until the Tigris flowed with radiance

and a tent of light was pitched atop the peaks

And the peaks were illuminated with light.

سحاب الدخان ويرقى الشرار

سحاب الدخان ويرقى الشرار

ورعد الملاهي وغيث الجذل

ورعد الملاهي وغيث الجذل

by a cloud of smoke, while sparks ascended,

The clouds of smoke ascended and sparks flew,

with music's thunder and a rain of joy.

The thunder of festivities and pouring rain,

وما زال يعلو عجاج الدخا

وما زال يعلو عجاج الدخا

ن حتى تلوّن منه زحل

ن حتى تلوّن منه زحل

And the billowing smoke kept rising

The smoke kept rising higher

until Saturn took on its hue.

Until Saturn was tinted by its color.

فكنا نرى الموج من فضة

فكنا نرى الموج من فضة

فذهبه النور حتى اشتعل

فذهبه النور حتى اشتعل

So we saw waves of silver,

We used to see the waves as silver,

then light gilded them until they blazed

But the light made it gold, kindling

شراراً يحاكي انقضاض النجوم

شراراً يحاكي انقضاض النجوم

وبرقاً كايماض بيض تسل

وبرقاً كايماض بيض تسل

in sparks resembling the plunge of stars,

Sparks mimicking the falling of stars,

and lightning like the flash of bright swords being drawn.

And lightning like the flashing of white swords.