رَبَّ لَيلٍ كَساكَ ثَوبُ نَعيمٍ

رَبَّ لَيلٍ كَساكَ ثَوبُ نَعيمٍ

بَينَ ساقٍ وَسامِرٍ وَنَديمِ

بَينَ ساقٍ وَسامِرٍ وَنَديمِ

Many a night has clothed you in a robe of bliss,

Lord of the night whose cloak is bliss

Among a cupbearer, a nighttime conversationalist, and a drinking companion,

Between leg and elbow and boon companion,

وَكُؤوسٍ جَرَت وَراءَ كُؤوسٍ

وَكُؤوسٍ جَرَت وَراءَ كُؤوسٍ

وَأَعانَت عَلى طَريقِ الهُمومِ

وَأَعانَت عَلى طَريقِ الهُمومِ

And cups that followed after cups,

And cups passed after cups

And lent their aid along the path of cares.

Which helped release sorrows,

وَلَنا مِزهَرٌ كَمِثلِ فَطيمِ

وَلَنا مِزهَرٌ كَمِثلِ فَطيمِ

في يَدي مُطرِبٍ كَأُمِّ الفَطيمِ

في يَدي مُطرِبٍ كَأُمِّ الفَطيمِ

And we had a lute, like a weaned child,

We had a blossom like Fatima’s

In the hands of a musician like the weaned child's mother.

In the hands of a singer like Fatima's mother,

وَسَموا صَدرَهُ بِعاجٍ وَذَلٍ

وَسَموا صَدرَهُ بِعاجٍ وَذَلٍ

فَزَهَتهُ مَحاسِنُ التَوسيمِ

فَزَهَتهُ مَحاسِنُ التَوسيمِ

They inlaid its breast with ivory and tortoiseshell [uncertain reading],

With breasts adorned with ivory and submission

So the beauty of its markings made it splendid,

So her beauty was perfected by decoration’s touch,

مِثلُ أَرضٍ تَحَبَّرَت بِأَقاحٍ

مِثلُ أَرضٍ تَحَبَّرَت بِأَقاحٍ

أَو سَماءٍ تَكَلَّلَت بِنُجومِ

أَو سَماءٍ تَكَلَّلَت بِنُجومِ

Like earth adorned with daisies,

Like land scattered with thistle blooms

Or a sky crowned with stars.

Or sky bejeweled with stars,

ذو مُلاوٍ سودِ الفُروعِ وَحُمرٍ

ذو مُلاوٍ سودِ الفُروعِ وَحُمرٍ

مِثلَ أَطرافِ فَرحَةٍ وَنَعيمِ

مِثلَ أَطرافِ فَرحَةٍ وَنَعيمِ

With tuning pegs tipped in black and red,

With black boughs and red tips

Like the fingertips of Farha and Na'im,

Like fingers of joy and bliss,

وَوِسامَينِ لا تَجولُ عَلَيهِ

وَوِسامَينِ لا تَجولُ عَلَيهِ

كَخَلاخيلِ مارِدٍ وَظَلومِ

كَخَلاخيلِ مارِدٍ وَظَلومِ

And two ornaments that do not move upon it,

And two moles that wander not thereon

Like the anklets of Marid and Zalum.

Like eyes of a genie or injustice,

أَحمَرُ الزيرِ أَسوَدُ البَمِّ أَحوى

أَحمَرُ الزيرِ أَسوَدُ البَمِّ أَحوى

هَل رَأَيتُم جَداوِلَ التَقويمِ

هَل رَأَيتُم جَداوِلَ التَقويمِ

Red in its treble string, black in its bass string, dark-hued—

Reddieh-pale, black-eyed, alluring,

Have you seen the almanac's tables?

Have you seen the streams of perfection?