لقد حاجيت يا خنسا

لقد حاجيت يا خنسا

ءُ في ضربٍ من الشِعرِ

ءُ في ضربٍ من الشِعرِ

I have indeed posed you a riddle, O Khansāʾ,

I plead to you, O silent one

I have challenged you, O Khansa,

in a kind of verse,

In a form of poetry

With a riddle woven into verse,

وفيما طوله شبرٌ

وفيما طوله شبرٌ

وقد يربى على الشبرِ

وقد يربى على الشبرِ

and about something a handspan long,

Though its length is a span

Concerning that which measures a hand-span,

which may exceed a handspan.

It may grow to a span

Or perhaps grows larger than a span.

له في راسه شقٌّ

له في راسه شقٌّ

لطيفٌ بالندى يجري

لطيفٌ بالندى يجري

It has a slit in its head,

It has in its head a cleft

Upon its head it bears a cleft,

a fine one, flowing with dew.

Subtle, flowing with dew

Delicate, from which the moisture flows.

إذا بُل أتى بالأعجب

إذا بُل أتى بالأعجب

العجّاب في الأمر

العجّاب في الأمر

When wetted, it brings forth the most astonishing

When it is wet, it comes wondrous

If wetted, it brings forth the most

wonders in the matter.

A wonder in the matter

Astonishing wonders in its wake.

فإن هو جفّ لم ينفك

فإن هو جفّ لم ينفك

كَ في برّ ولا بحرِ

كَ في برّ ولا بحرِ

So if it dries, it will not come apart,

If it dries, it does not cease

But if it dries, it offers no relief

on land or at sea.

On land or in sea

To you on land or open sea.

أجيبي لم أر فحشاً

أجيبي لم أر فحشاً

وربّ الشفعِ والوترِ

وربّ الشفعِ والوترِ

Answer; I have seen no obscenity,

Answer me, I saw no lewdness

Answer me—I intended no obscenity,

by the Lord of the even and the odd.

By the Lord of the even and odd

By the Lord of the Even and the Odd.