بدت لي غادة لم تبدُ إلا

بدت لي غادة لم تبدُ إلا

توهّمها هناك البدرُ بدرا

توهّمها هناك البدرُ بدرا

A graceful maiden appeared to me; no sooner had she appeared

Ghadah appeared to me, she did not appear except

than the full moon there took her for a full moon.

The full moon mistook her for another full moon

تُماشي الغُنْجَ في خُفّين صِيغا

تُماشي الغُنْجَ في خُفّين صِيغا

وِفاقاً للمُنى شكلاً وقدرا

وِفاقاً للمُنى شكلاً وقدرا

She walked in step with coquetry, in two slippers fashioned

She strides gracefully in slippers shaped

to suit one's wishes in shape and size.

Matching my wish, in form and size

فقلت لها بكم هذان قالت

فقلت لها بكم هذان قالت

بحملها على كتفيك شهرا

بحملها على كتفيك شهرا

So I said to her, “How much for these two?” She said,

So I said, how much are these? She said

“By carrying her on your shoulders for a month.”

For carrying them on your shoulders, a month

فقلت وفيهما قدماك قالت

فقلت وفيهما قدماك قالت

نعم فَنَخرت عشراً ثم عشرا

نعم فَنَخرت عشراً ثم عشرا

So I said, “And with your feet inside them?” She said,

So I said, and your feet in them? She said

“Yes.” So I snorted ten times, then ten more.

Yes, so I bargained down to ten, then ten

فقالت ما تركتَ لملتقانا

فقالت ما تركتَ لملتقانا

فقلت النيكُ قالت طاب جهرا

فقلت النيكُ قالت طاب جهرا

Then she said, “What have you left for our meeting?”

She said, you left nothing for our meeting

So I said, “Fucking.” She said aloud, “How sweet!”

I said, goodness, she said, excellent, aloud

فملت بها إلى رحلي فكانت

فملت بها إلى رحلي فكانت

ألذّ مطيةٍ بطناً وظهرا

ألذّ مطيةٍ بطناً وظهرا

So I took her to my lodging, and she proved

So I leaned toward my camel and she was

the most delightful mount, belly and back alike.

The sweetest ride, belly and back