قل للذي لام في المشبك المحشي

قل للذي لام في المشبك المحشي

يا أشكع العقل لا والله ما أسلاه شي

يا أشكع العقل لا والله ما أسلاه شي

Tell the one who reproached me for the stuffed mushabbak pastry:

Say to the one who blamed me in the stuffed mussel,

You witless fool—no, by God, I will not forget it at all!

O ugliest of minds, no, by Allah, I did not make it flowery.

وكيف أسلاه وفيه سكر

وكيف أسلاه وفيه سكر

بماء الورد يتخمر

بماء الورد يتخمر

And how could I forget it, with sugar in it,

And how could I make it flowery, and in it there is intoxication

fermenting with rosewater,

With rose water fermenting,

وفيه الفستق اتنجّر

وفيه الفستق اتنجّر

فيا لله ما أحلاه

فيا لله ما أحلاه

and pistachios worked into it?

And in it there are soaked pistachios.

So, O God, how sweet it is!

So by Allah how beautiful it is!

ما أحلى شرابه سكر لُبابه

ما أحلى شرابه سكر لُبابه

مَن قد أتى به يا مرحباً به

مَن قد أتى به يا مرحباً به

How sweet its syrup—sugar is its very core.

How beautiful is its drink, sweet is its juice.

Whoever has brought it—welcome to him!

Whoever brought it, welcome to him!

قم ودّني يا خليع البحر في الشختور

قم ودّني يا خليع البحر في الشختور

والموز في القطر له مهما تفشخ نور

والموز في القطر له مهما تفشخ نور

Get up and take me, O rogue of the sea, in the skiff.

Get up and bring me closer, O vile sea in the jug.

And the banana in syrup blooms whenever it splits open.

And the banana in syrup, no matter how much light shines from it.

وخلّ الموز يكون أصفر

وخلّ الموز يكون أصفر

ولو كان من شراب نوفر

ولو كان من شراب نوفر

And let the banana be yellow,

And let the color of the banana be yellow,

even if it were made from water-lily syrup.

Even if it were from an intoxicating drink.

ولو رشّيت عليه سكّر

ولو رشّيت عليه سكّر

أنا ما أنغاظ ولا أردّه

أنا ما أنغاظ ولا أردّه

And even if you sprinkled sugar on it,

And if you sprinkle sugar on it,

I would not be vexed, nor would I refuse it.

I won't get angry or refuse it.

رد أنت عنه مني ومنه

رد أنت عنه مني ومنه

هاته بصحنه أورّيك فنّه

هاته بصحنه أورّيك فنّه

Reply on its behalf, for me and for it.

You refuse it, away from me and from it.

Bring it on its plate; I will show you its artistry.

Bring it to me on a plate, I will show you its art.

يا قطر بسّك تغيب أنا أريد بسّك

يا قطر بسّك تغيب أنا أريد بسّك

حسّك لغيري تروح هو يعدمك حسّك

حسّك لغيري تروح هو يعدمك حسّك

O syrup, enough of being absent—I want to kiss you.

O syrup lower your price, I want you to lower your price,

Beware of going to anyone but me—he will lick you out of existence.

Your value goes to others, it makes you lose your value,

وأنا خبّيك في قلبي

وأنا خبّيك في قلبي

وأخفيك عن جميع صحبي

وأخفيك عن جميع صحبي

And I will hide you in my heart,

While I hide you in my heart,

and conceal you from all my companions.

And conceal you from all my friends.

فقم واقعد إلى جنبي

فقم واقعد إلى جنبي

تراني في الكلام صادق

تراني في الكلام صادق

So get up and sit at my side.

So get up and sit next to me,

You will find me truthful in what I say:

You know I'm honest in my words,

صادق بحبك شايق لقربك

صادق بحبك شايق لقربك

إن جيت والا اللَه يحبك

إن جيت والا اللَه يحبك

sincere in loving you, yearning to be near you.

Honest in my love for you, passionate for your nearness,

If you come, well and good; otherwise, may God love you.

Whether you come or not, may Allah love you.