لو لم يكن جعل الرقاد مُحرَّما

لو لم يكن جعل الرقاد مُحرَّما

بهوى جميلة ما دعوه محرَّما

بهوى جميلة ما دعوه محرَّما

Had he not made sleep forbidden

Had not sleep been deemed forbidden

Through love of Jamila, they would not have called him Muharram.

For love of beautiful Jameela, none had deemed it forbidden

قمرٌ تخير شمس مصر حليلةً

قمرٌ تخير شمس مصر حليلةً

فجلى الرضى تاج القبول عليهما

فجلى الرضى تاج القبول عليهما

A moon chose Egypt's sun as his wife,

A moon chose the sun of Egypt as companion

Then contentment revealed the crown of acceptance upon them.

So happiness crowned acceptance upon them

يا زهر قل لمليكتي ولسيدي

يا زهر قل لمليكتي ولسيدي

هنّاكما الباري بما أولاكما

هنّاكما الباري بما أولاكما

O blossoms, say to my queen and my lord:

O flower, say to my queen and master

May the Creator gladden you both with what He has bestowed upon you.

God has granted you all you could wish for

فتصدقا بقبول زهر حديقةٍ

فتصدقا بقبول زهر حديقةٍ

تمتاح طيب الطيب من رياكما

تمتاح طيب الطيب من رياكما

So show kindness by accepting the blossoms of a garden

So graciously accept a flower from the garden

That draws the sweetness of perfume from your fragrance.

Whose fragrance is perfumed by the watering of your hands

حسدت خمائلها نجوم سمائها

حسدت خمائلها نجوم سمائها

لما رأت زهراتها بيديكما

لما رأت زهراتها بيديكما

The stars of its sky envied its groves

The stars of its sky envied its buds

When they saw its blossoms in your hands.

When they saw its flowers held in your hands

والفوز أرّخ دام حب جميلةٍ

والفوز أرّخ دام حب جميلةٍ

علَماً ومجدُ علا محرَّمَ مَعْلَما

علَماً ومجدُ علا محرَّمَ مَعْلَما

And mark the triumph's date: may love of Jamila endure

And victory heralded enduring love for Jameela

As a banner, and Muharram's lofty glory as a landmark.

As fame and glory raised forbidden love on high