يَقَرُّ بعَيني أن أزورَ مَغَانِياً

يَقَرُّ بعَيني أن أزورَ مَغَانِياً

بِسَاحَتِها كُنّا نَخوضُ ونَلْعبُ

بِسَاحَتِها كُنّا نَخوضُ ونَلْعبُ

It gladdens my eye to visit the haunts

My eyes delight in visiting the taverns

In whose grounds we used to talk idly and play,

In their courtyard we would frolic and play

إذا العَيْش غَضٌّ والشَبيبَةُ لَدْنَةٌ

إذا العَيْش غَضٌّ والشَبيبَةُ لَدْنَةٌ

وسافرُ وَجْه الحُسْنِ ليسَ يُحجّبُ

وسافرُ وَجْه الحُسْنِ ليسَ يُحجّبُ

When life was fresh and youth was supple,

When life was fresh and youth was tender

And beauty's unveiled face was never hidden.

And the face of beauty was unveiled

فكُلُّ صَباحٍ في الشُّروقِ مفضَض

فكُلُّ صَباحٍ في الشُّروقِ مفضَض

وكل أصيلٍ في الغُروبِ مُذَهّبُ

وكل أصيلٍ في الغُروبِ مُذَهّبُ

So every morning at sunrise was silvered,

So every dawn in the sunrise was radiant

And every late afternoon at sunset was gilded.

And every evening in sunset was gilded

وَما أربي إلا الرُّصافةُ لَوْ دَنَتْ

وَما أربي إلا الرُّصافةُ لَوْ دَنَتْ

وَهل لِلْهوى إلا الرُّصَافةُ مَذْهبُ

وَهل لِلْهوى إلا الرُّصَافةُ مَذْهبُ

And my desire is only al-Rusafa—if only it were near!

And I wish for nothing but purity, if it drew near

And has love any destination but al-Rusafa?

For love, nothing but purity is its way