ووَرْدِيَّةِ الجلْبابِ أعْجَبَها الوَرْدُ

ووَرْدِيَّةِ الجلْبابِ أعْجَبَها الوَرْدُ

فغَنَّتْ وما بالغانِياتِ لَها عَهْدُ

فغَنَّتْ وما بالغانِياتِ لَها عَهْدُ

And a rose-robed one was charmed by the roses;

The one in the striped robe was entranced by the rose

So she sang, though she had never kept company with beautiful women.

She sang though she'd never been one for singing before

تُرِيكَ اضْطِرابَ الرَّاقِصاتِ إذا انْثَنَت

تُرِيكَ اضْطِرابَ الرَّاقِصاتِ إذا انْثَنَت

وتُسمِعُ لَحْنَ المُسْمِعاتِ إذا تَشْدو

وتُسمِعُ لَحْنَ المُسْمِعاتِ إذا تَشْدو

She shows you the swaying of dancers when she bends,

She shows you the swaying of dancers when they bend

And lets you hear the songstresses' melody when she sings.

And plays the tunes of musicians when they sing

أتَتْ وبِطاحُ الأرضِ تُجْلى عَرائِساً

أتَتْ وبِطاحُ الأرضِ تُجْلى عَرائِساً

وفي كُلِّ غُصْنٍ مِنْ أزاهِرِهِ عِقْدُ

وفي كُلِّ غُصْنٍ مِنْ أزاهِرِهِ عِقْدُ

She came while earth's plains were unveiled as brides,

She came while the ground was strewn with brides

And on each branch lay a necklace of its blossoms.

And on each branch of its flowers was a knot

وقَد أبدتِ الدُّنيا مَحاسِنَ وجْهِها

وقَد أبدتِ الدُّنيا مَحاسِنَ وجْهِها

فَمِنْ زَهْرَةٍ ثَغْرٌ ومن وَردَةٍ خَدُّ

فَمِنْ زَهْرَةٍ ثَغْرٌ ومن وَردَةٍ خَدُّ

And the world had revealed the charms of her face:

The world had revealed its beauty

A blossom for a mouth, and a rose for a cheek.

So from each flower, a lip, and from each rose, a cheek

وساعَدَها طِيْبُ الهَواءِ وفَضْلُهُ

وساعَدَها طِيْبُ الهَواءِ وفَضْلُهُ

وفَصْلُ الرَّبيعِ الغَضُّ والمَنزِلُ السَّعْدُ

وفَصْلُ الرَّبيعِ الغَضُّ والمَنزِلُ السَّعْدُ

And the air's sweetness and bounty aided her,

The sweet air aided her, and its abundance

As did fresh springtime and the auspicious abode.

The freshness of spring, the blessed place

فَغَنَّتْ غِناءَ الشَّربِ أنْشَتْهُمُ الطِّلا

فَغَنَّتْ غِناءَ الشَّربِ أنْشَتْهُمُ الطِّلا

وَحَنَّتْ حَنينَ الصَّبِّ باحَ بهِ الوَجْدُ

وَحَنَّتْ حَنينَ الصَّبِّ باحَ بهِ الوَجْدُ

So she sang the song of drinkers whom wine had made tipsy,

So she sang the song of drinking that quenched their thirst

And moaned with a lover's yearning, laid bare by passion.

And yearned with the yearning of love when passion appeared

أكُلّاً يُثِيرُ الوَجْدُ كامِنَ حُزنِهِ

أكُلّاً يُثِيرُ الوَجْدُ كامِنَ حُزنِهِ

لَقَدْ جازَ في حُكْمِ الغَرامِ بِنا الحَدُّ

لَقَدْ جازَ في حُكْمِ الغَرامِ بِنا الحَدُّ

Does passion stir everyone's hidden sorrow?

Stirring dormant sorrow in every heart

Indeed, under love's rule, we have been carried beyond the bounds.

For us the limit of love has been crossed