قد صبغت بنتُ المدينيّه

قد صبغت بنتُ المدينيّه

للفطرِ يا عبّاس فوهيّه

للفطرِ يا عبّاس فوهيّه

Al-Madīniyya's daughter has dyed

The girls of Medina have dyed

The daughter of the Medinan dame has dyed,

A garment madder-red for Eid al-Fitr, O ʿAbbās.

Their hands for Eid, O Abbas make them shine

Painting her mouth for the Festival, O Abbas.

وسلّفت ماشِطَها أجرةً

وسلّفت ماشِطَها أجرةً

واشترطت في المشطِ رازيّة

واشترطت في المشطِ رازيّة

And prepaid her hairdresser a fee,

She paid advance for her comb

She paid her comber his wage in advance,

And stipulated a Rāziyya for the hairdressing.

Stipulating an imported one

And stipulated the Razi style for the comb.

فأسلفوا يا قوم في نيكِها

فأسلفوا يا قوم في نيكِها

من نقدِ بيتِ المالِ نجدّيه

من نقدِ بيتِ المالِ نجدّيه

So advance, people, toward fucking her,

So lend her, O people, for her beauty

So pay up front, O people, to swive her,

A Najdiyya from the treasury's cash.

From the state coffers generously

With Najdi coin from the treasury's store.

فإنّها أعشقُ بغّياةً

فإنّها أعشقُ بغّياةً

لهذه المغصوبةِ النيّهِ

لهذه المغصوبةِ النيّهِ

For she is the most lovestruck of whores

For she is the one I love most

For she is the harlot most deeply enamored

For this forcibly taken one, still raw.

With pure intention and chastity

Of this usurped and uncooked spoil.

يا عمرو ما بالُ المدينيّه

يا عمرو ما بالُ المدينيّه

لا تأكل العصبانَ مشويّه

لا تأكل العصبانَ مشويّه

O ʿAmr, what is wrong with al-Madīniyya,

O Amr why do the girls of Medina

O Amr, what ails the Medinan girl,

That she does not eat grilled sausages?

Not eat grilled chickpeas

That she will not eat the sausages grilled?

فقل لها هل لكِ يا أختنا

فقل لها هل لكِ يا أختنا

في فَيشةٍ حدباء بصريّه

في فَيشةٍ حدباء بصريّه

So tell her: 'Would you care, our sister,

Ask her my sister if she would like

Ask her then: "Is there for you, O sister,

For a humpbacked Basran cock,

A bag of them from Basra

Any wish for a humped Basran glans?

تصيرُ حولاً لكمُ أكلةً

تصيرُ حولاً لكمُ أكلةً

من دون خلق الله محميّه

من دون خلق الله محميّه

That would become a meal for you all for a year,

To keep as provision without measure

It would become a year's ration for you,

Kept safe from the rest of God's creatures?'

From all people protected and free

Protected from all God's creation beside."

فقل لها مستهزئاً مازحاً

فقل لها مستهزئاً مازحاً

قولَ امرىءٍ في الصدقِ ذي نيّه

قولَ امرىءٍ في الصدقِ ذي نيّه

Then speak to her mockingly, in jest,

So say to her joking and teasing

So speak to her, mocking and in jest,

With the words of a man intent on truth.

The words of a man with sincerity

The words of one whose intent is sincere:

قرّب ولا تستقصِ في رأيها

قرّب ولا تستقصِ في رأيها

فرأيُها رأيُ الحرويّه

فرأيُها رأيُ الحرويّه

Bring it close, and do not scrutinize her opinion;

Draw near and do not over analyze her opinion

"Draw near, and do not scrutinize her view,

For her opinion is al-Ḥarawiyya's opinion.

For her opinion is that of a noble lady

For her view is the view of the Haruriyya."