وليلةَ زرتنا واللّيلُ داجٍ

وليلةَ زرتنا واللّيلُ داجٍ

على عَجَلٍ ونحن على البِراقِ

على عَجَلٍ ونحن على البِراقِ

And one night you visited us, while the night was dark,

And the night you visited us, while the night was pitch black

in haste, while we were on al-Birāq.

In haste, while we were on our steeds

وجُدتَ لنا بتقبيل الثّنايا

وجُدتَ لنا بتقبيل الثّنايا

على رغم الوشاةِ وبالعناقِ

على رغم الوشاةِ وبالعناقِ

And you were generous to us with kisses upon your front teeth,

You came to us, kissing cheeks

despite the slanderers, and with embraces.

Despite the slanderers, embracing

تلاقينا بأرواحٍ ظماءٍ

تلاقينا بأرواحٍ ظماءٍ

عشيّةَ ما لأجسادٍ تلاقِ

عشيّةَ ما لأجسادٍ تلاقِ

We met with thirsty souls,

We met with thirsty souls

one evening when our bodies did not meet.

One evening, not with bodies that meet

ولمّا أن تفرّقنا رجعنا

ولمّا أن تفرّقنا رجعنا

إلى ما نحن فيه من الفراقِ

إلى ما نحن فيه من الفراقِ

And when we parted, we returned

And when we parted, we returned

to the separation we were in.

To the separation we're in

فإنْ يكُ باطلاً لا حقَّ فيه

فإنْ يكُ باطلاً لا حقَّ فيه

فكم من باطلٍ حُلْوِ المذاقِ

فكم من باطلٍ حُلْوِ المذاقِ

So if it is falsehood, with no truth in it,

So if it's falsehood, with no truth in it

then how much falsehood is sweet to taste!

How many falsehoods are sweet to taste