أسخطتُ جدى الشاذلي

أسخطتُ جدى الشاذلي

إذ خنت نعمة فندلى

إذ خنت نعمة فندلى

I have angered my grandfather al-Shadhili

I angered my noble ancestor Al-Shadhili

by betraying Fandali's kindness.

When I betrayed the blessing, so I slipped

لما عجلت أضعته

لما عجلت أضعته

يا ليتني لم أعجل

يا ليتني لم أعجل

When I acted hastily, I lost it.

When I rushed, I lost him

Oh, if only I had not hurried!

Oh, how I wish I hadn't rushed

ما غشني وأضلني

ما غشني وأضلني

إلا نصائح نجدلي

إلا نصائح نجدلي

Nothing deceived me and led me astray

None tricked and misled me

but Najdali's advice.

Except the advice of negligent me

مبداى كان شرم برم

مبداى كان شرم برم

واليوم صار ترللي

واليوم صار ترللي

My principle was 'sharm baram'—nonsense,

My principle was honorable and dignified

and today it has become 'tarallali'—madness.

And today it became worthless

إني اشتريت مراقبا

إني اشتريت مراقبا

لا أرتضيه بفرغلي

لا أرتضيه بفرغلي

I have bought a monitor;

I bought spies

I do not approve of him—by Farghali!

I don't accept them even for free

يوما علىّ وتارة

يوما علىّ وتارة

إن جدت بالدينار لي

إن جدت بالدينار لي

One day against me, and at another time,

One day they are for me and another

if I am generous with a dinar, on my side.

If I pay them with dinars they are for me

قد كان طاهر قال لي

قد كان طاهر قال لي

لكنني لم أحفل

لكنني لم أحفل

Tahir had already told me,

My conscience told me

but I paid no heed.

But I did not care