فَما مِسكٌ يُعَلُّ بِزَنجَبيلٍ

فَما مِسكٌ يُعَلُّ بِزَنجَبيلٍ

وَلا عَسَلٌ بِأَلبانِ اللِقاحِ

وَلا عَسَلٌ بِأَلبانِ اللِقاحِ

For neither musk infused with ginger

No musk is made fragrant with ginger,

Nor honey with the milk of lactating she-camels

Nor any honey with pollen of flowers.

بِأَشهى مِن مُجاجَةِ ريقِ سَلمى

بِأَشهى مِن مُجاجَةِ ريقِ سَلمى

وَلا ما في الزِقاقِ مِن القِراحِ

وَلا ما في الزِقاقِ مِن القِراحِ

Is more delectable than a mouthful of Salma’s saliva,

Nothing is more delicious than Salma's saliva,

Nor is the unmixed wine in the wineskins.

Nor what's in the lanes of wounds.

وَلا وَاللَهِ لا أَنسى حَياتي

وَلا وَاللَهِ لا أَنسى حَياتي

وِثاقَ البابِ دوني وَاِطِّراحي

وِثاقَ البابِ دوني وَاِطِّراحي

And no, by God, never in my life shall I forget

By God, I won't forget my life,

The barring of the door against me, and my being cast aside.

The knot at the door, my chatter and laughter.