لَمّا أَتى النيلُ لَنا مِن لُجِّهِ

لَمّا أَتى النيلُ لَنا مِن لُجِّهِ

بِسائِقٍ يَركُضُ مِلءَ فَرجِهِ

بِسائِقٍ يَركُضُ مِلءَ فَرجِهِ

When the Nile came to us from its depths,

When the Nile came to us from its depths

with a driver galloping at full stretch,

With a driver galloping full of vigor

سِرتُ بِهِ في طُرُقاتِ خُلجِهِ

سِرتُ بِهِ في طُرُقاتِ خُلجِهِ

مَع فائِقِ بِدَلِّهِ وَغُنجِهِ

مَع فائِقِ بِدَلِّهِ وَغُنجِهِ

I traveled with him along the pathways of its canals,

I roamed its winding paths

with Faiq, with his coy charm and coquetry.

With its replacement and profit

يَطرِبُني إِيقاعُهُ بِصَنجِهِ

يَطرِبُني إِيقاعُهُ بِصَنجِهِ

وَالزَهرُ بَينَ أَغاني قُبحِهِ

وَالزَهرُ بَينَ أَغاني قُبحِهِ

His rhythm on his cymbal delights me,

Its rhythm excites me with its clanging

and the flowers lie amid the songs of his ugliness.

And flowers amidst the ugliness of its songs

أَشرَبُ ما لا بُدَّ لي مِن مَزجِهِ

أَشرَبُ ما لا بُدَّ لي مِن مَزجِهِ

جَمراً يَدي آمِنَةً مِن وَجهِهِ

جَمراً يَدي آمِنَةً مِن وَجهِهِ

I drink what I must dilute:

I drink what I must of its blend

embers—my hand, safe from its face,

A coal with hands safe from its heat

تَجمَعُ بَينَ نارِهِ وَثَلجِهِ

تَجمَعُ بَينَ نارِهِ وَثَلجِهِ

لَم أَرمشهِ مُعتَمِداً لِشَجِّهِ

لَم أَرمشهِ مُعتَمِداً لِشَجِّهِ

unites its fire and its snow.

It combines its fire and coolness

I did not [unclear verb] it, intent on diluting it,

I did not blink relying on its ardour

إِلّا تَلالا نَجمِهِ في بُرجِهِ

إِلّا تَلالا نَجمِهِ في بُرجِهِ

فَذُقتُ وَقتاً طابَ لي مِن نَفجِهِ

فَذُقتُ وَقتاً طابَ لي مِن نَفجِهِ

without its star glittering in its zodiac house.

Except for the hills of its stars in its mansions

So I savored a moment made pleasant to me by its wafting fragrance.

So I tasted a time sweet to me from its essence

لا يُمرَجُ العَيشُ بِمِثلِ مَرجِهِ

لا يُمرَجُ العَيشُ بِمِثلِ مَرجِهِ

حَتّى إِذا اللَيلُ بَدا مِن فَجِّهِ

حَتّى إِذا اللَيلُ بَدا مِن فَجِّهِ

Life is not mingled with anything like its mingling.

Life is not flavored with the like of its flavor

Until, when night appeared from its mountain pass,

Until when the night emerged from its darkness

رَكِبَت يَوماً لَم أَمَل في سَرجِهِ

رَكِبَت يَوماً لَم أَمَل في سَرجِهِ

وَلا ثَنَيتُ مُقلَتي عَن نَهجِهِ

وَلا ثَنَيتُ مُقلَتي عَن نَهجِهِ

I rode for a day, never tiring in its saddle,

One day I rode without hoping for its saddle

nor did I turn my eye away from its course,

Nor did I turn my eyelid from its path

حَتّى بَدا الصُبحِ لَهُ بِعِلجِهِ

حَتّى بَدا الصُبحِ لَهُ بِعِلجِهِ

فَقُمتُ مَسروراً بِقَتلِ زَنجِهِ

فَقُمتُ مَسروراً بِقَتلِ زَنجِهِ

until dawn appeared to it with its non-Arab man,

Until dawn appeared to it with its treatment

and I rose, delighted at the slaying of its Zanj.

So I rose happy with killing its trouble