الغَربُ بِاللَيلِ مِسكٌ

الغَربُ بِاللَيلِ مِسكٌ

وَالشَرقُ بِالفَجرِ نَدُّ

وَالشَرقُ بِالفَجرِ نَدُّ

The west at night is musk,

The West is musk at night,

and the east at dawn is fragrant incense.

And the East, at dawn, is ambergris.

وَرَوضَةُ الجامِ فيها

وَرَوضَةُ الجامِ فيها

مِن زَهرَةِ الراحِ وَردُ

مِن زَهرَةِ الراحِ وَردُ

And the goblet's garden holds

In the wine's garden

roses from the blossom of wine.

Is a rose of soft down and petals.

فَاِشرَب عَلى وَجهِ أَرضٍ

فَاِشرَب عَلى وَجهِ أَرضٍ

لَها مِنَ الماءِ خَدُّ

لَها مِنَ الماءِ خَدُّ

So drink upon the face of a land

So drink on the cheek of a land

that has a cheek of water.

Watered by a moist jawbone,

لَم تُلقِهِ الريحُ سَبطاً

لَم تُلقِهِ الريحُ سَبطاً

إِلّا اِنثَنى وَهوَ جَعدُ

إِلّا اِنثَنى وَهوَ جَعدُ

The wind never lays it smooth

That no wind has touched,

but it bends into curls.

Save to bend it while still unripe.

فَجيدُ يَومِكَ فيهِ

فَجيدُ يَومِكَ فيهِ

مِنَ المِلاحَةِ عِقدُ

مِنَ المِلاحَةِ عِقدُ

For your day's neck bears

In it let your day be

a necklace of beauty.

A string of pearls from the salt sea.