أَحسَنُ مِن مَنزِلٍ بِذي قارِ

مَنزِلُ خَمّارَةٍ بِالأَنبارِ

Better than a campsite at Dhi Qar,

Is the house of a tavern-keeper in al-Anbar.

وَشَمُّ رَيحانَةٍ وَنَرجِسَةٍ

أَحسَنُ مِن أَينُقٍ بِأَكوارِ

And the scent of sweet basil and narcissus

Is better than she-camels bearing saddles.

وَعِشرَةٌ لِلقِيانِ في دَعَةٍ

مَع رَشَأٍ عاقِدٍ لِزُنّارِ

And intimacy with singing-girls in comfort,

Beside a young gazelle fastening a zunnar belt,

أَلَذُّ مِن مَهمَهٍ أَكِدُّ بِهِ

وَمِن سَرابٍ أَجوبُ غَرّارِ

Is more delightful than a desert where I labor,

And a deceptive mirage that I traverse.

وَنَقرُ عودٍ إِذا تُرَجِّعُهُ

بَنانُ رَودِ الشَبابِ مِعطارِ

And the plucking of an oud, when resonated

By the fingertips of tender, perfumed youth,

أَحسَنُ عِندي مِن أُمِّ ناجِيَةٍ

وَأُمِّ عَمرٍ وَأُمِّ عَمّارِ

Is better to me than Umm Najiya,

And Umm Amr, and Umm Ammar.