تكحّل عينيك عندَ العشيّ

تكحّل عينيك عندَ العشيّ

كأنّك مومِسة زانِيَه

كأنّك مومِسة زانِيَه

You line your eyes with kohl in the evening,

Kohl your eyes at nightfall

As though you were a fornicating prostitute.

As if you were a wanton harlot

وَآية ذلكَ بعدَ الخلوق

وَآية ذلكَ بعدَ الخلوق

تغلّف رأسك بِالغالِيَه

تغلّف رأسك بِالغالِيَه

And a sign of that: after the saffron perfume,

And the proof after creation

You coat your head with ghāliyah perfume.

Is to wrap your head in finery

وَأنّ بنيكَ لِريبِ الزمان

وَأنّ بنيكَ لِريبِ الزمان

أَمست رقابهمُ حالِيَه

أَمست رقابهمُ حالِيَه

And your sons, through time’s vicissitudes,

And that your girls in these doubtful times

Now have their necks adorned.

Have bared their necks

فَلَو كان أوسٌ لَهم حاضراً

فَلَو كان أوسٌ لَهم حاضراً

لَقال لهم إنّ ذا مالِيَه

لَقال لهم إنّ ذا مالِيَه

So had Aws been present among them,

So if Aus were here

He would have told them, “This is indeed my property.”

He would say to them “this is not proper”