نَظَرَت فَأًعجَبها الَّذي في دِرعِها

نَظَرَت فَأًعجَبها الَّذي في دِرعِها

مِن حُسنِهِ وَنَظَرتُ في سِربالِيا

مِن حُسنِهِ وَنَظَرتُ في سِربالِيا

She looked and admired what lay inside her shift

She looked and liked what she saw of his beauty,

For its beauty; and I looked inside my robe.

And I looked at my worn-out rags.

فَرَأَت لَها كَفلاً يَنوءُ بِخَصرِها

فَرَأَت لَها كَفلاً يَنوءُ بِخَصرِها

وَعثاً رَوادِِفُهُ وَاِخثَمَ ناتِيا

وَعثاً رَوادِِفُهُ وَاِخثَمَ ناتِيا

She saw her rump weighing heavily upon her waist,

She saw he had a shoulder that strained at his belt

Soft in its buttock folds, and a broad, protruding vulva,

And legs well-formed, though his sandals were rent.

ضَيفاً يَعُضُّ بِكُلِّ عَردٍ نالَهُ

ضَيفاً يَعُضُّ بِكُلِّ عَردٍ نالَهُ

كَالقَعبِ أَو صَرحٍ يُرى مُتَجافِيا

كَالقَعبِ أَو صَرحٍ يُرى مُتَجافِيا

Tight [uncertain reading], biting down on every stiff penis that reached it,

A guest who would take any branch offered -

Like a wooden bowl, or a lofty building seen standing apart.

Like a rain tank or an abandoned palace.

وَرَأَيتُ مِنتَشِرَ العِجانِ مُقَبَّضاً

وَرَأَيتُ مِنتَشِرَ العِجانِ مُقَبَّضاً

رِخواً حَمائِلُهُ وَجِلداً بالِيا

رِخواً حَمائِلُهُ وَجِلداً بالِيا

And I saw a shrunken member, its perineum spread out,

I saw my sagging tent braced,

Its supporting cords slack, and its skin worn out.

Its ropes slack, its leather panels cracked.

أُدني لَهُ الرَكبَ الحَليقَ كَأَنَّما

أُدني لَهُ الرَكبَ الحَليقَ كَأَنَّما

أُدني إِلَيهِ عَقارِباً وأَفاعِيا

أُدني إِلَيهِ عَقارِباً وأَفاعِيا

I bring the shaved pubic mound close to it, as though

I brought my shaven hocks near him, as though

I were bringing scorpions and vipers near it.

I brought scorpions and snakes to his head.

إِنَّ النَدامَةَ وَالسَدامَةَ فَاِعلَمَنْ

إِنَّ النَدامَةَ وَالسَدامَةَ فَاِعلَمَنْ

لَو قَد صَبَرتُك لِلمَوايس خالِيا

لَو قَد صَبَرتُك لِلمَوايس خالِيا

Regret and sorrow would follow—know this—

Learn that regret and disgrace will be yours

If I held you captive, alone, for the razors [uncertain reading].

If you had endured me empty so long.

ما بالُ رَأَسِكَ مِن وَرائي خالِفاً

ما بالُ رَأَسِكَ مِن وَرائي خالِفاً

أَطَنَنتَ أَنَّ حَرّا لِفَتاةِ وَرائِيا

أَطَنَنتَ أَنَّ حَرّا لِفَتاةِ وَرائِيا

What ails your head, hanging back behind me?

Why did you turn your head away behind me

Did you think a young woman's vulva lay behind me?

Thinking a maiden was behind?

فَاِذهَب فَإِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ لا يُرتَجى

فَاِذهَب فَإِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ لا يُرتَجى

أَبَدَ الأَبيدِ وَلَو عُمِرَت لَيالِيا

أَبَدَ الأَبيدِ وَلَو عُمِرَت لَيالِيا

Then go: you are dead, beyond hope,

Go, for you are as good as dead, beyond hope,

Forever and ever, even if you were granted nights of life.

If you lived for years.

أَنتَ الغُرورَ إِذا خُبِرتَ وَرُبَّما

أَنتَ الغُرورَ إِذا خُبِرتَ وَرُبَّما

كانَ الغرورُ لِمن رَجاهُ شافِيا

كانَ الغرورُ لِمن رَجاهُ شافِيا

You are a delusion when tested; and sometimes

You are self-delusion, if that could cure,

Delusion has brought healing to one who hoped in it.

Though sometimes self-delusion may heal.

لكنَّ أَيري ل يرجَّى نفعُه

لكنَّ أَيري ل يرجَّى نفعُه

حتى أَعودَ أَخا فتاءٍ ناشيا

حتى أَعودَ أَخا فتاءٍ ناشيا

But no benefit can be hoped for from my cock,

But my helplessness cannot avail you,

Until I am once again a youth still growing.

Until I become a brother to one more powerful.

يا أيُّها الأيرُ الذي قد سُؤتني

يا أيُّها الأيرُ الذي قد سُؤتني

وفَضَحتَنِي وطردتَ أُمَّ عِياليا

وفَضَحتَنِي وطردتَ أُمَّ عِياليا

O cock, you who have distressed me

O camel who has wronged me,

And disgraced me, and driven away the mother of my children.

Exposed me, and scared away the mother of my children.