إِذا مَضى مِن رَمَضانَ النِصفُ

إِذا مَضى مِن رَمَضانَ النِصفُ

تَشَوَّقَ القَصفُ لَنا وَالعَزفُ

تَشَوَّقَ القَصفُ لَنا وَالعَزفُ

When half of Ramadan has passed,

When half of Ramadan has passed,

Revelry and music yearn for us;

Revelry and music yearn for us,

وَأُصلِحَ النايُ وَرُمَّ الدَفُّ

وَأُصلِحَ النايُ وَرُمَّ الدَفُّ

وَاِختَلَفَت بَينَ الزُناةِ الصُحفُ

وَاِختَلَفَت بَينَ الزُناةِ الصُحفُ

And the flute is repaired and the frame drum mended,

The reed flute is mended and the tambourine repaired,

And letters circulate among the fornicators,

And missives circulate among the libertines,

لِوَعدِ يَومٍ لَيسَ فيهِ خُلفُ

لِوَعدِ يَومٍ لَيسَ فيهِ خُلفُ

حَتّى إِذا ما اِجتَمَعوا وَاِصطَفّوا

حَتّى إِذا ما اِجتَمَعوا وَاِصطَفّوا

For a promised day when no one breaks their word.

For a promised appointment that shall not be broken,

Until, when they gather and line up,

Until, when they have gathered and aligned,

تَكَشَّفوا وَاِعتَنَقوا وَاِلتَفّوا

تَكَشَّفوا وَاِعتَنَقوا وَاِلتَفّوا

فَبَعضُهُم أَرضٌ وَبَعضٌ سَقفُ

فَبَعضُهُم أَرضٌ وَبَعضٌ سَقفُ

They bare themselves, embrace, and entwine:

They disrobe, embrace, and entwine together,

So some of them are the ground, and some the ceiling.

So that some of them are earth, and others are roof.