قَلبي عَلى الجَمرَةِ يا أَبا العلا

قَلبي عَلى الجَمرَةِ يا أَبا العلا

فَهَل فَتَحتَ المَوضِعَ المُقفَلا

فَهَل فَتَحتَ المَوضِعَ المُقفَلا

My heart is on a burning coal, O Abu al-Ala.

My burning heart, O father of nobility

So have you opened the locked place?

Have you unlocked what was sealed?

وَهل فَكَكتَ الخَتمَ عَن كيسِهِ

وَهل فَكَكتَ الخَتمَ عَن كيسِهِ

وَهل كَحَلتَ الناظِر الأَكحَلا

وَهل كَحَلتَ الناظِر الأَكحَلا

And have you removed the seal from its pouch?

Have you undone the knotted bag's seal?

And have you applied kohl to the dark-rimmed eye?

Have you kohled the watcher's eyes?

اِنَّكَ ان قُلتَ نعم صادِقاً

اِنَّكَ ان قُلتَ نعم صادِقاً

أَبعث نثاراً يَملَأُ المَنزِلا

أَبعث نثاراً يَملَأُ المَنزِلا

Indeed, if you truthfully say 'yes,'

If you say "yes" truthfully

I will send a shower of gifts to fill the house.

I will send rose petals to fill the house

وَان تجبني من حياءٍ بلا

وَان تجبني من حياءٍ بلا

أَبعث اِلَيكَ القُطنَ وَالمَغزلا

أَبعث اِلَيكَ القُطنَ وَالمَغزلا

And if, out of shyness, you answer me 'no,'

And if you answer me not out of shyness

I will send you the cotton and the spindle.

I will send you cotton and spindle