إِذا مَضى مِن رَمَضانَ النِصفُ

تَشَوَّقَ القَصفُ لَنا وَالعَزفُ

When half of Ramadan has passed,

Revelry and music yearn for us,

وَأُصلِحَ النايُ وَرُمَّ الدَفُّ

وَاِختَلَفَت بَينَ الزُناةِ الصُحفُ

The reed flute is mended and the tambourine repaired,

And missives circulate among the libertines,

لِوَعدِ يَومٍ لَيسَ فيهِ خُلفُ

حَتّى إِذا ما اِجتَمَعوا وَاِصطَفّوا

For a promised appointment that shall not be broken,

Until, when they have gathered and aligned,

تَكَشَّفوا وَاِعتَنَقوا وَاِلتَفّوا

فَبَعضُهُم أَرضٌ وَبَعضٌ سَقفُ

They disrobe, embrace, and entwine together,

So that some of them are earth, and others are roof.