زارَنا زَورٌ سُرِرتُ بِهِ

زارَنا زَورٌ سُرِرتُ بِهِ

لَيتَ ذاكَ الزَورَ لَم يَعجَل

لَيتَ ذاكَ الزَورَ لَم يَعجَل

A visitor came to us, to my delight.

A guest visited us, I was delighted by him

If only that visitor had not hurried!

I wish that guest had not been in a hurry

إِذ أَتانا لَيلَةً وَجِلاً

إِذ أَتانا لَيلَةً وَجِلاً

مِن عُيونِ الخانَةِ العُذلِ

مِن عُيونِ الخانَةِ العُذلِ

When our visitor came to us one night, afraid

When he came to us one night in haste

Of the eyes of treacherous reproachers,

From the eyes of the alluring tavern

وَأَتانا وَهوَ مُنخَرِقٌ

وَأَتانا وَهوَ مُنخَرِقٌ

وَبِغالُ الحَيِّ لَم تُرحَل

وَبِغالُ الحَيِّ لَم تُرحَل

And came to us in headlong haste,

And he came while he was tattered

While the clan’s mules were not yet saddled.

With no camels from the tribe left behind

يا أَبا الخَطّابِ هَل لَكُمُ

يا أَبا الخَطّابِ هَل لَكُمُ

مِن رَسولٍ ناصِحٍ يُرسَلِ

مِن رَسولٍ ناصِحٍ يُرسَلِ

“O Abu al-Khattab, have you

O Abu Al-Khattab, do you have

Any faithful messenger who could be sent

A sincere messenger that can be sent

بِالَّذي أُخفي وَأَكتُمُهُ

بِالَّذي أُخفي وَأَكتُمُهُ

مِن جَميعِ الناسِ لَم أَقبَل

مِن جَميعِ الناسِ لَم أَقبَل

With what I hide and keep concealed

With what I hide and conceal

From everyone?” I did not consent.

From all the people, I did not accept

فَأَذاقَتني عَلى مَهلٍ

فَأَذاقَتني عَلى مَهلٍ

طَيِّبَ الأَنيابِ لَم يَثعَلِ

طَيِّبَ الأَنيابِ لَم يَثعَلِ

Then she let me taste, unhurriedly,

So she made me, little by little

A sweet mouth, its canine teeth not overlapping.

Taste the sweetness of her smile that did not wane

نَحسَبُ الراحَ الذَكيَّ بِهِ

نَحسَبُ الراحَ الذَكيَّ بِهِ

وَسُلافَ الراحِ وَالسَلسَل

وَسُلافَ الراحِ وَالسَلسَل

We imagine fragrant wine within it,

We reckon the graceful wind by it

And the choicest wine, and sweet, clear water.

And the necklace and chain