Sedude my mind 

O prophetess

Of sweetness

Let your voice rise

Let your words, petal-like

Dance on my heart and my skin

For life is for the roses

For life is

For the roses

Don't cry, little sparrow

For today is today

And yesterday too

And tomorrow

O my dark-eyed paradise

O my haven of sorrow

Let your sweet blood sing

To the night

And I shall listen

To you

For life is for the roses

For life is

For the roses

Oh for the myrrh of the Habash!

Oh for Zanzibar's lilies!

Oh for the nights of Port Sa'id!

Of the qat you took the raw stems

Of the roses

I took the thorns

We are one.

What happened, happened.

What use is there in laments?

For life is for the roses

For life is

For the roses

Let us seek after the pearls

That are hidden

In the shells of the night

Let drowning Nubian rhyhtms

Be the guide of the strangers

That we call ourselves,

Come to excavate 

Treasures,

Sell them not, heart!

At no price!

For life is

For the roses

For life is for the roses

Don't cry. little sparrow

For love is

For the lovers

And today is today

And yesterday too

And tomorrow

O my dark-eyed paradise, you

O my haven of sorrow

Let your sweet blood sing

To the night

And I shall listen

To you