يا جاعِل النِّيلِ صِبْغَ جِلْدَتِهِ

يا جاعِل النِّيلِ صِبْغَ جِلْدَتِهِ

ذا نَسَبٍ باليَدَيْنِ مُفْتَعَلُ

ذا نَسَبٍ باليَدَيْنِ مُفْتَعَلُ

O you who make indigo the dye of your skin,

O maker of the Nile with its dark blue hue

whose lineage is fabricated by hand;

Of suspect lineage, artificially assumed

ويا غريقًا بنيِلِ مِصْرَ ولَمْ

ويا غريقًا بنيِلِ مِصْرَ ولَمْ

يَمَسَّ أَثوابَهُ ولا البَلَلُ

يَمَسَّ أَثوابَهُ ولا البَلَلُ

and O you drowned in Egypt's Nile, though

O you who drowned in the Nile of Egypt, yet

not even wetness has touched your clothes.

Neither your clothes nor body got wet

ما أَنت مِمَّنْ يُحِبُّ عائِشَةً

ما أَنت مِمَّنْ يُحِبُّ عائِشَةً

هذا على أَنَّ ظَهْرَكَ الجَمَلُ

هذا على أَنَّ ظَهْرَكَ الجَمَلُ

You are not among those who love Aisha,

You are not one who loves Aisha

this, despite the camel being your mount.

Despite your back being that of a camel

لقد تَجرَّأْتَ في مجادلتي

لقد تَجرَّأْتَ في مجادلتي

فاثبُتْ لما جَرَّهُ لك الجَدَلُ

فاثبُتْ لما جَرَّهُ لك الجَدَلُ

You have indeed dared to argue with me;

You have dared to argue with me

so stand firm against what the argument has brought upon you.

So stand firm for what your debate has brought you

نازَعْتَنِي في الذي عَلِمْتَ به

نازَعْتَنِي في الذي عَلِمْتَ به

فَاترُكْ حديثَ النساءِ يا رَجُلُ

فَاترُكْ حديثَ النساءِ يا رَجُلُ

You disputed with me over what you knew of;

You disputed with me about what you knew

so leave off talk of women, O man.

So cease talking of women, O man

قُلْتَ أَنا المُشْتَرِي ووَجْهُكَ قد

قُلْتَ أَنا المُشْتَرِي ووَجْهُكَ قد

أَقْسَمَ أَلْفاً بأَنَّهُ زُحَلُ

أَقْسَمَ أَلْفاً بأَنَّهُ زُحَلُ

You said, 'I am Jupiter,' while your face has

You said you are the buyer, yet your face

sworn a thousand times that it is Saturn.

Has sworn a thousand oaths that it is Saturn