أَلاَ يَا لَيْلُ لَيْلَ الفصْلِ

يَا مُبْتَسِمَ الزَّهْرِ

Oh night, night of the season

Smiling with flowers

بَلَغْنَا خَالِصِينَ إِلَيْكَ

مِنْ حَرْبٍ بِلاَ فَخْرِ

We have come to you sincerely

From a war without pride

دَخَلْنَاهَا بِلاَ قَصْدٍ

وَأَدْمَتْنَا بِلاَ وَتْرِ

We entered it aimlessly

And continued without resolve

تَهُونُ لَدَى مَضَارِبِهَا

جِرَاحُ الْبِيض وَالسُّمرِ

In its battles, the wounds of whites and browns are trivial

Last year we were raided

غَزَانَا عَامُنَا المَاضِي

غَزَاةَ الظُّلمِ وَالقَهْرِ

By the raiders of injustice and oppression

So we don't spend an evening without purpose

فَلاَ نُمْسِي بِلاَ أَمْرٍ

وَلاَ نُضْحِي بِلاَ أَمْرِ

Nor rise without purpose

We drank wine to lessen

شَرِبْنَا الخَمْرَ تَخْفيفاً

لِطَعْمِ الصَّابِ وَالمُرِّ

The taste of bitterness and sorrow

We drank it to make us forget

شَرِبْنَاهَا لِتُنْسِيَنَا

نِزَالَ الْهَمِّ وَالفِكْرِ

The descent of worries and thoughts

We drank it as a cure

شَرِبْنَاهَا مُدَاوَاةً

لِدَاءِ الرُّوحِ بِالسُّكرِ

For the disease of the soul with sweetness

We hope we will return to dreams

عَسَانَا رَاجِعُو حُلُمٍ

مَضَى بَأَطَايِبِ الْعُمْرِ

That passed with the best years

And this is our drinking, oh night

وَهَذَا شُرْبُنا يَا لَيْلُ

مِنْ آثَارِهِ الكُدْرِ

From its turbid traces

So be lowering the curtains

فكُنْ مُنْسَدِلَ الأَسْتَارِ

بَيْنَ الْعَفْوِ وَالْعُذْرِ

Between pardon and excuse

My life for you, oh cupbearer

إِليَّ فُدِيتَ يَا سَاقِي

بِشَمْسٍ مِنْ يَدَيْ بَدْرِ

With a sun from the hands of the full moon

And unleash it and let me hear

وَسَلْسِلْهَا وَأَسْمِعْنِي

أَنِينَ دُمُوعِهَا تَجْرِي

The moaning of its tears flowing

Is that a palm tree wailing

فَمَا وَرْقَاءُ نَائِحَةٌ

عَلَى التَّرْجِيعِ مِنْ قُمْرِي

For my repetition of verse?

And show me on the horizon of stars

وَأَطْلِعْ فِي سَمَاءِ الكأْ

سِ آفَاقاً مِنَ التِّبرِ

Expanses of enchantment

The star of loves floated in it

طَفا نَجْمُ الْحَبَابِ بِهَا

عَلَى شَفَقٍ مِنَ الخَمْرِ

On a sunset of wine

Are those pearls or lamps

دَرَارِيءُ تِلْكَ أَمْ مُقَلٌ

تُرَامِزُنَا إِلى سِرِّ

Winking at us to a secret?

And is that a color or light

وَلَوْنٌ ذَاكَ أَمْ نُورٌ

يُنِيرُ غَيَاهِبَ الدَّهْرِ

Illuminating the darkness of time?

Oh year, we have come close

أَلاَ يَا عَامُ أَزْلِفْنَا

إِلَى العَافِي عَنِ الْوِزْرِ

To being relieved of burden

With the goodness you bestow

بِإِحْسَانٍ تَجُودُ بِهِ

وَتَكْفِيرٍ عَنِ الشَّرِّ

And atonement for evil

And this is your hoped-for night

وَهَذَا لَيْلُكَ المَأْمُولُ

أَحْيَيْنَاهُ بِالْبِشْرِ

We have brought it to life with good tidings

Will it be truthful at dawn?

يُرِينَا حُسْنَهُ وَعْداً

فَهَلْ يَصْدُقُ فِي الْفجْرِ

A person remains in his world

From occupation to occupation

يظل المرء في دنياه

من شغل إلى شغل

Finding purpose and creating it

Through the years like garments

يجد منى ويخلقها

على الأعوام كالحلل

And from year to year

He revisits it without boredom

ومن سنة إلى سنة

يعاودها بلا ملل

From hope to despair

And from despair to hope

فمن أمل إلى يأس

ومن يأس إلى أمل

No happiness or comfort

And no glory but work

ولا سعد ولا سلوى

ولا مجد سوى العمل