يا ليلةً قُدِّمت حتَّى إذا قَدِمت

يا ليلةً قُدِّمت حتَّى إذا قَدِمت

عظّمتُ حرمتَها فِعْلَ الألِبَّاءِ

عظّمتُ حرمتَها فِعْلَ الألِبَّاءِ

O night given precedence—until, when it arrived,

O night that was brought forward, when you came

I revered its sanctity, as the wise do.

I magnified your sanctity, the deed of loved ones

لأنَّها بادّكارٍ للأوائلِ من

لأنَّها بادّكارٍ للأوائلِ من

صِيْدِ الملوكِ الأشدَّاءِ الأسدّاءِ

صِيْدِ الملوكِ الأشدَّاءِ الأسدّاءِ

For it, in remembrance of the ancients among

Because it recalls the first ones with

the proud kings, mighty and sound in judgment,

The hunting of mighty, lion-like kings

قد أطلعتْ من عِنان الراح طلعتَها

قد أطلعتْ من عِنان الراح طلعتَها

وأَنطقتْ أَلْسُنَ العيدانِ والناءِ

وأَنطقتْ أَلْسُنَ العيدانِ والناءِ

has revealed its face from the reins of wine,

You have risen from the horse's rein risen

and made the tongues of lutes and the flute speak,

And moved the tongues of festivity and lament

ونبَّهتْ أعينَ اللذات من سِنَةٍ

ونبَّهتْ أعينَ اللذات من سِنَةٍ

والشأنُ في نظمِها عقدُ الأحِبَّاءِ

والشأنُ في نظمِها عقدُ الأحِبَّاءِ

and roused the eyes of delights from slumber;

And awakened the eyes of pleasures from slumber

and what matters in arranging it is a necklace of loved ones.

And the matter in its stringing is lovers embraced