أَقولُ وَقَد رَأَت بِالوَجهِ مِنّي

مُجاجاً يا مُحَسِّنَةَ المُجاجِ

I say, and she has seen from me

I speak, now that she has seen upon my face

Quarrels, O mender of quarrels!

A trace of spittle—O you who makes even spittle fair,

وَياءَحلى وَأَشهى الناسِ طُرّاً

وَإِن شُبِّهتِ ظُلماً بِالسِماجِ

O most delicious, the people’s most delicious dish,

O sweetest and most desired of all mankind,

Even if you were unjustly likened to coarse wool.

Even if you were unjustly likened to the plain,

صِليني يا فَدَتكِ النَفسُ مِنّي

وَخَلّي ذا التَعَمُّقَ في اللُجاجِ

Bring me close, your soul ransom me,

Grant me union—may my soul be your ransom—

And leave this plunging into the turbid waters.

And leave behind this depth of stubborn strife,

وَحِبّي يا فَدَيتُكِ مِن بَعيدٍ

فَإِنّي لَستُ في دارِ الخَراجِ

Love me from afar, your ransom from afar,

And love me—may I be your sacrifice—from afar,

For I am not in the land of taxes.

For I do not dwell in the house of tax and tribute,

سَنَكلَفُ ما هَويتِ بِكُلِّ شَيءٍ

وَإِن أَكلَفتِنا لَبَنَ الدَجاجِ

We will undertake whatever you love with everything,

We shall burden ourselves with whatever you desire,

Even if you burden us with curds from the udder.

Even if you charged us to find the milk of birds.