أَرِقتُ جَميعَ اللَيلِ لِلبارِقِ الَّذي

أَرِقتُ جَميعَ اللَيلِ لِلبارِقِ الَّذي

تَرَفَّعَ مَع نَجدٍ فَشاقَ إِلى نَجدِ

تَرَفَّعَ مَع نَجدٍ فَشاقَ إِلى نَجدِ

I lay awake all night for the lightning that

I was restless all night for the lightning that

rose beside Najd and stirred my longing for Najd,

Rose with Najd and soared to Najd

أَحُلَّ بِدارِ اللَهوِ حَيثُ لَقيتُها

أَحُلَّ بِدارِ اللَهوِ حَيثُ لَقيتُها

وَأَهزِلُ بِاللَذاتِ وَالدَهرُ في جِدِّ

وَأَهزِلُ بِاللَذاتِ وَالدَهرُ في جِدِّ

to dwell in the house of revelry where I met her,

I joke in the abode of frivolity where I met her

and jest amid pleasures, while Time is in earnest.

And jest with pleasures while time is serious

أَلا إِنَّما الدُنيا بَلاغٌ لِغايَةٍ

أَلا إِنَّما الدُنيا بَلاغٌ لِغايَةٍ

فَإِمّا إِلى غَيٍّ وَإِمّا إِلى رُشدِ

فَإِمّا إِلى غَيٍّ وَإِمّا إِلى رُشدِ

Behold, this world is only a means to an end:

Behold, the life of this world is but a means to an end

so either toward error or toward right guidance.

So either to ruin or righteousness will you come