يا حَبَّذا تحيَّةٌ

يا حَبَّذا تحيَّةٌ

رُحْتُ بها مسرورا

رُحْتُ بها مسرورا

Ah, how lovely a greeting!

Oh what a lovely greeting

I went away delighted with it,

I was delighted to receive it

إذ جاءَني يَحمِلُها

إذ جاءَني يَحمِلُها

ظبْيٌ يُباهي الحُورا

ظبْيٌ يُباهي الحُورا

when there came to me, bearing it,

Brought by a graceful gazelle

a gazelle who rivaled the houris.

Outshining the fairest maidens

شبَّهْتُها في كَفِّهِ

شبَّهْتُها في كَفِّهِ

وقد كَساها نُورا

وقد كَساها نُورا

I likened it, in his palm,

Cupped in his hand it shone

while he had clothed it in light,

Cloaked in radiant light

مَخْزَنَةً من ذَهَبٍ

مَخْزَنَةً من ذَهَبٍ

قد مُلِئَتْ كافورا

قد مُلِئَتْ كافورا

to a coffer of gold

Like a chest of purest gold

that had been filled with camphor.

Filled up with camphor white