قَد أَسمَعتَنا غِناءً لا خَلاقَ بِهِ

قَد أَسمَعتَنا غِناءً لا خَلاقَ بِهِ

كَما تُعَرَّكُ آذانَ السَنانيرِ

كَما تُعَرَّكُ آذانَ السَنانيرِ

You have made us hear a song with no grace in it,

You have made us hear singing with no merit in it,

as it grates upon the ears of cats.

As when cats' ears are rubbed.

حَتّى إِذا إِرتَفَعَت في الصَوتِ لا إِرتَفَعَت

حَتّى إِذا إِرتَفَعَت في الصَوتِ لا إِرتَفَعَت

أَهدَت لِسَمعِيَ تَهديرَ الخَنازيرِ

أَهدَت لِسَمعِيَ تَهديرَ الخَنازيرِ

Until, when you raised your voice—may you never rise—

At last, when she raised her voice—may she never rise!—

you treated my ears to the bellowing of swine.

She bestowed on my hearing the grunting of pigs.

وَكُلَّما اِنخَفَضَت فيهِ مُزَمزَمَةً

وَكُلَّما اِنخَفَضَت فيهِ مُزَمزَمَةً

خِلتَ الزَنابيرَ تَشدو في القَواريرِ

خِلتَ الزَنابيرَ تَشدو في القَواريرِ

And whenever it sank into a low drone,

And whenever she lowered her voice, humming,

you would think hornets were singing inside glass bottles.

You would think wasps were singing in glass bottles.

لا تُخدَعَنَّ بِأَثوابٍ مُصَبَّغَةٍ

لا تُخدَعَنَّ بِأَثوابٍ مُصَبَّغَةٍ

نَصَبنَهُنَّ شِباكاً لِلمَدابيرِ

نَصَبنَهُنَّ شِباكاً لِلمَدابيرِ

Never be deceived by brightly dyed garments:

Never be deceived by dyed garments:

women have set them as snares for the decrees of fate.

They have set them as nets for the luckless.