يَا لَيلَةً بِتُّهَا فِي شَهرِ أيَّارِ

بِحمةِ الأنفِ أرعَى نَجسَهُ السَّاري

O night that lingers in the month of May

I tend my nasal droppings with care

والجِسمُ إذ ذَاكَ في ضُعفٍ أعَالِجُهُ

إذَا طَغَى بَردُهُ منْ سُجنِهَا الجّاري

As the body grows weak, I nurse its pains

When its cold surges from its prison unbound

وَاقْطَعُ الوَقتَ فِي أنْسٍ بِطَا ئِفَةٍ

عَزيزَةٍ مِنْ خِيارِ النَّاس اخْيَارِ

I while away time with dear friends

A precious few of the best people around

يَنْسَى بِهِمْ نَازِحُ الأوطَانِ مَوطِنَهُ

وَيَعْرَفُونَ بِحَقّ الضّيفِ وَالجَارِ

With them the exile forgets his homeland

They know well the rights of guest and neighbor

وَإنْ دَعَتهُمْ دَوَاعِي النَّوم حَرَّكَهُمْ

جسُّ الحبيبِ في تحرِيكِ أوتْارِ

And if sleep’s calling stirs them awake

The lover’s touch sets their strings aquiver

كُنَّا اجْتَمَعْنَا بِهِمِ مِنْ غَيرِ مَوعِدَةٍ

لَكِنْ جَرَتْ سَهْلَة في صَرفِ الأقْدارِ

We met them unplanned by pure chance

Destiny’s hands dealt smooth from the deck

كَيْمَا نَرَى زَائِرَ المُخْتَارِ سَيِّدنا

نَجْلِ ابنِ عَبدِ العزِيزِ الخازِنِ الدَّارِ

Just to see the Chosen’s visitor, our lord

Grandson of Abdelaziz, keeper of the abode

حَامي الحَقيقة في يوم الهِياجِ وَفِي

يَومِ السِّهامِ لِنَقْصِ الخَلقِِ صَبَّارِ

Defender of truth in days of discord and

In days of arrows for the people’s defects, patient

فِي دَولَةِ المَلِكِ البَاشَا الذي سَلِمَتْ

أيَّامُهُ الخُضرُ مِنْ هَمِّ وَأكْدارِ

In the reign of the King Pasha whose

Green days were safe from care and gloom

ابنِ الحُسَينِ عَلِيّ زِيدَ مَنصِبُهُ

أمْناً وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ هَمَ وأغيارِ

Son of Hussein Ali, his post

Secured safety from worry and foes

يَسِّرْ لَنَا وَلَهُ مَا نَرتَجِي كَرَما

وَاغْفِرْ لِجُمْلَتِنَا يَا خَيرَ غَفَّارِ

Make easy for us and him what we hope for in grace

And forgive all of us, O Greatest Forgiver