تبادلَ المردُ بالأيورِ

تبادلَ المردُ بالأيورِ

وساحقت ربّةُ الخدورِ

وساحقت ربّةُ الخدورِ

The beardless men exchanged cocks,

The beardless youths exchanged their members,

And the lady of the curtained chambers practiced tribadism.

While the mistress of the boudoirs resorted to rubbing.

مراكبُ البرّ باكتئابٍ

مراكبُ البرّ باكتئابٍ

تشكو إلى صاحب البحورِ

تشكو إلى صاحب البحورِ

The mounts of the land, dejected,

The vessels of the land, in deep dejection,

Complain to the master of the seas.

Complain unto the master of the seas.

وليس في المردِ من صغيرٍ

وليس في المردِ من صغيرٍ

يرعى ذماماً ولا كبيرِ

يرعى ذماماً ولا كبيرِ

And among the beardless men, no younger man

And among the youths, there is no young one

Honors a bond—nor does any older man.

Who honors a covenant, nor an elder one.

لمّا اكتفى بعضهُم ببعضٍ

لمّا اكتفى بعضهُم ببعضٍ

أعدَمني صدّهم سروري

أعدَمني صدّهم سروري

When they were content with one another,

Since they have contented themselves with one another,

Their rejection robbed me of my joy.

Their turning away has deprived me of my joy.

يا آل لوطٍ خذلتموني

يا آل لوطٍ خذلتموني

فما على المردِ من نصير

فما على المردِ من نصير

O people of Lot, you have forsaken me!

O people of Lot, you have forsaken me,

There is no ally against the beardless men.

For against the youths there is no defender.

وذي احتيالٍ يدقّ فيهِ

وذي احتيالٍ يدقّ فيهِ

وصفُ محبّيهِ بالضميرِ

وصفُ محبّيهِ بالضميرِ

And a cunning fellow, too elusive

And a cunning one—so subtle is the description

For his lovers to describe, even in thought,

Of his lovers, hidden deep within the mind—

أقبلَ نحوي بذي فتورٍ

أقبلَ نحوي بذي فتورٍ

يسبي بهِ الظبيَ ذا الفتورِ

يسبي بهِ الظبيَ ذا الفتورِ

Came toward me with a languorous companion,

Approached me with a languorous gaze,

With whom he captivates the languorous gazelle.

Captivating thereby the languid gazelle.

قال أتيناكَ في بدالٍ

قال أتيناكَ في بدالٍ

وليس ذو الجهل كالخبيرِ

وليس ذو الجهل كالخبيرِ

He said, “We have come to you about an exchange;

He said, "We have come to you for an exchange,

And an ignorant man is not like an expert.

For the ignorant is not like the expert.

كم فضلَ بيني وبين هذا

كم فضلَ بيني وبين هذا

وفّقك اللَهُ من مشير

وفّقك اللَهُ من مشير

What difference in worth is there between me and this one?

How great is the difference between me and this one?

May God grant you success as an adviser!”

May God guide you as a counselor."

قلتُ له بعد طول حبسٍ

قلتُ له بعد طول حبسٍ

فضلُ خميس على عشير

فضلُ خميس على عشير

I said to him, after a long pause:

I said to him, after a long silence,

“The excess of a fifth over a tenth.”

"The superiority of an army over a squad."

قال فوثّق لنا برهنٍ

قال فوثّق لنا برهنٍ

ونجعل الفضلَ للمُشيرِ

ونجعل الفضلَ للمُشيرِ

He said, “Then guarantee it for us with a pledge,

He said, "Then secure it for us with a pledge,

And we shall give the difference to the adviser.”

And we shall grant the surplus to the counselor."

تنايَكا ثم قمتُ حتى

تنايَكا ثم قمتُ حتى

أخذتُ جُعلي من الكبيرِ

أخذتُ جُعلي من الكبيرِ

They fucked each other; then I got up and

They copulated, and then I rose up,

Took my fee from the bigger one.

Until I took my wage from the elder one.

أستغفرُ اللَه هل يُرى لي

أستغفرُ اللَه هل يُرى لي

في الفتكِ والحبّ من نظيرِ

في الفتكِ والحبّ من نظيرِ

I ask God's forgiveness—can there be found for me

I ask God's forgiveness—is there to be seen for me,

In recklessness and love, any equal?

In brazenness and love, any equal?