ومسمعٍ قوله بالكره مسموع

ومسمعٍ قوله بالكره مسموع

محجب عن بيوت الناس ممنوع

محجب عن بيوت الناس ممنوع

And a singer whose words are heard against one's will,

With ears that hear his words of yesterday heard,

Shut out, barred from people's homes.

Hidden from people's homes, forbidden,

غنى فبرق عينيه وحرك لح

غنى فبرق عينيه وحرك لح

ييه فقلنا الفتى لا شك مصروع

ييه فقلنا الفتى لا شك مصروع

He sang, then widened his eyes and moved his

He sang, his eyes flashed, his cheeks moved,

Jaws; so we said, 'The lad is surely having a fit.'

We said: this boy is lovesick, no doubt.

وقطع الشعر حتى ود أكثرنا

وقطع الشعر حتى ود أكثرنا

أن اللسان الذي في فيه مقطوع

أن اللسان الذي في فيه مقطوع

And he chopped up the verse until most of us wished

He stopped reciting until most of us wished

That the tongue inside his mouth were cut off.

That the tongue in his mouth was cut off.

لم يأت دعوة أقوامٍ بأمرهم

لم يأت دعوة أقوامٍ بأمرهم

ولا مضى قط إلا وهو مصفوع

ولا مضى قط إلا وهو مصفوع

He never came to anyone's feast at their invitation,

No invitation of a people for their affairs

Nor did he ever leave without being slapped.

Ever came but he went studded with it.