ماتَ وِصالٌ وَعاشَ صَدُّ

ماتَ وِصالٌ وَعاشَ صَدُّ

وَذُلَّ مَولىً وَعَزَّ عَبدُ

وَذُلَّ مَولىً وَعَزَّ عَبدُ

Union has died, and rejection has come alive.

Love died and estrangement survived

And a master has been humbled, and a slave exalted.

A master was humbled while a slave became proud

يا أَحسَنَ العالَمينَ وَجهاً

يا أَحسَنَ العالَمينَ وَجهاً

ما لَكَ مِن أَن تُحِبَّ بُدُّ

ما لَكَ مِن أَن تُحِبَّ بُدُّ

O fairest of all beings in countenance,

O fairest of both worlds in face

You have no choice but to love.

How could an ugliness like you be loved?

ما العَيشُ إِلّا كَأسٌ وَساقٍ

ما العَيشُ إِلّا كَأسٌ وَساقٍ

وَكُلُّ ما بَعدَ ذَينِ فَقدُ

وَكُلُّ ما بَعدَ ذَينِ فَقدُ

Life is nothing but a cup and a cupbearer,

Life is but a cup and a leg

And everything beyond these two is loss.

And all that comes after is loss