أعادت علينا ليالي الطرب

أعادت علينا ليالي الطرب

برن الكؤس ورقص الحبب

برن الكؤس ورقص الحبب

She brought back to us the nights of delight,

The nights of joy have returned to us,

with the ringing of cups and the dancing of bubbles—

The cups rang and love danced,

مهفهفة قادني نورها

مهفهفة قادني نورها

لها وهداني لفيها الشهب

لها وهداني لفيها الشهب

a slender beauty whose radiance led me

Glittering, its light led me,

to her, and bright stars guided me to her mouth.

To it I was guided by the falling stars.

حجازية الطرف رومية ال

حجازية الطرف رومية ال

معاطف شامية المحتجب

معاطف شامية المحتجب

Hijazi in her gaze, Roman in her

Gazelle-eyed yet Roman-cloaked,

curves, Syrian in her secluded abode.

Syrian veiled though hidden,

يمثلها الطوق تركيةً

يمثلها الطوق تركيةً

وينسبها حجلها للعرب

وينسبها حجلها للعرب

Her necklace portrays her as Turkish,

The necklace makes her Turkish,

and her anklet links her to the Arabs.

Her tattoo proclaims her an Arab.

فسقياً لخانك يا ميسلون

فسقياً لخانك يا ميسلون

وأوقاتك الجالبات الطرب

وأوقاتك الجالبات الطرب

So may rain bless your inn, O Maysalun,

So serve wine in your tavern, Mislawan,

and your hours that bring delight!

And your joyful times,

ففيك الغبوق كساه الضحى

ففيك الغبوق كساه الضحى

وقلب المشوق جفاه اللهب

وقلب المشوق جفاه اللهب

For in you, morning light clothed the evening draught,

For in you is the passion the morning adorned,

and flame forsook the longing lover's heart.

And the longing heart its flame has ignited.

وأنَّى تدوم لظى مهجةٍ

وأنَّى تدوم لظى مهجةٍ

عليها سحاب الرضاب انسكب

عليها سحاب الرضاب انسكب

And how could a heart's blaze endure,

How can the agony of a tormented love last,

when a cloud of sweet saliva poured down upon it?

When clouds of pleasure pour down on it?

ولما تلوى علينا الرضى

ولما تلوى علينا الرضى

وطاب ارتشاف سلاف الشنب

وطاب ارتشاف سلاف الشنب

And when contentment wound itself around us,

And when joy turns to us,

and sipping the pure wine of her cool, sweet mouth was pleasant,

And the sipping of pure wine is pleasing,

حسبت الوشام جفا خدها

حسبت الوشام جفا خدها

ولكن بماء الحياء احتجب

ولكن بماء الحياء احتجب

I thought the tattoo had forsaken her cheek,

I thought the beauty spot on her cheek had faded,

but it was veiled by the water of modesty.

But with the water of shyness it was veiled.

وخلت الوصال من الكيميا

وخلت الوصال من الكيميا

فقد صار ورق المحيا ذهب

فقد صار ورق المحيا ذهب

And I fancied union a kind of alchemy,

And it made union devoid of illusion,

for the silver of her face had turned to gold.

So that the leaf of coyness became gold.