عجبْتُ في رمضانَ منْ مغنِّيةٍ

عجبْتُ في رمضانَ منْ مغنِّيةٍ

بديعةِ الحسنِ إلاّ أنها ابتدعَتْ

بديعةِ الحسنِ إلاّ أنها ابتدعَتْ

I marveled in Ramadan at a songstress

I was amazed in Ramadan by a singer

Of exquisite beauty—yet she introduced an innovation.

Of perfect beauty, except that she was innovative

جاءتْ تسحِّرنا ليلاً فقلتُ لها

جاءتْ تسحِّرنا ليلاً فقلتُ لها

كيفَ السحورُ وهذي الشمسُ قدْ طلعتْ

كيفَ السحورُ وهذي الشمسُ قدْ طلعتْ

She came at night to rouse us for the pre-dawn meal, so I said to her:

She came to give us suhoor at night, so I said to her

How can it be time for the pre-dawn meal, when this sun has already risen?

How is suhoor when the sun has already risen?