رَبَّ لَيلٍ كَساكَ ثَوبُ نَعيمٍ

بَينَ ساقٍ وَسامِرٍ وَنَديمِ

Lord of the night whose cloak is bliss

Between leg and elbow and boon companion,

وَكُؤوسٍ جَرَت وَراءَ كُؤوسٍ

وَأَعانَت عَلى طَريقِ الهُمومِ

And cups passed after cups

Which helped release sorrows,

وَلَنا مِزهَرٌ كَمِثلِ فَطيمِ

في يَدي مُطرِبٍ كَأُمِّ الفَطيمِ

We had a blossom like Fatima’s

In the hands of a singer like Fatima's mother,

وَسَموا صَدرَهُ بِعاجٍ وَذَلٍ

فَزَهَتهُ مَحاسِنُ التَوسيمِ

With breasts adorned with ivory and submission

So her beauty was perfected by decoration’s touch,

مِثلُ أَرضٍ تَحَبَّرَت بِأَقاحٍ

أَو سَماءٍ تَكَلَّلَت بِنُجومِ

Like land scattered with thistle blooms

Or sky bejeweled with stars,

ذو مُلاوٍ سودِ الفُروعِ وَحُمرٍ

مِثلَ أَطرافِ فَرحَةٍ وَنَعيمِ

With black boughs and red tips

Like fingers of joy and bliss,

وَوِسامَينِ لا تَجولُ عَلَيهِ

كَخَلاخيلِ مارِدٍ وَظَلومِ

And two moles that wander not thereon

Like eyes of a genie or injustice,

أَحمَرُ الزيرِ أَسوَدُ البَمِّ أَحوى

هَل رَأَيتُم جَداوِلَ التَقويمِ

Reddieh-pale, black-eyed, alluring,

Have you seen the streams of perfection?