مهما يكن للقيان زيناً

مهما يكن للقيان زيناً

فصبوةٌ عودةُ القيانِ

فصبوةٌ عودةُ القيانِ

Whatever may adorn the singing girls,

No matter how beautiful the bow-maker's bow is,

Ṣabwa is the singing girls’ old she-camel.

A crooked bow returns to crookedness.

تبكي لوقتِ انصرافِ بيضٍ

تبكي لوقتِ انصرافِ بيضٍ

يحسُنُ في الضرب والأغاني

يحسُنُ في الضرب والأغاني

You weep when fair women depart,

A white-feathered arrow weeps for the time of departure,

Who excel at playing and singing;

Whose striking and singing were good.

فإن تغنَّتْ لنا وَدِدْنا

فإن تغنَّتْ لنا وَدِدْنا

لو هي قامتْ عن المكانِ

لو هي قامتْ عن المكانِ

But if she sings to us, we wish

If it were to sing to us we would love it,

That she would get up and leave the place.

If only it would leave its place.

قلتُ لها والكلامُ شيءٌ

قلتُ لها والكلامُ شيءٌ

يبدو لمستخرج المعاني

يبدو لمستخرج المعاني

I said to her—and speech is something

I said to her - and words are something

That reveals itself to one who draws out meanings—

That seem of great meaning to their maker -

ليستْ من النار فيك شيءٌ

ليستْ من النار فيك شيءٌ

لكن من الخلد خلَّتان

لكن من الخلد خلَّتان

“There is nothing of fire in you,

"There is nothing of fire in you,

But you have two traits of the mole.”

Only two eternities of tenderness.