تُعَيِّرُني فَتاةُ الحَيِّ أَنّي

تُعَيِّرُني فَتاةُ الحَيِّ أَنّي

حَظيتُ مِنَ المُروءَةِ وَالفَتاءِ

حَظيتُ مِنَ المُروءَةِ وَالفَتاءِ

The maiden of the clan reproaches me because I

The maiden of the clan reproaches me because I

have won a share of honor and youthful gallantry;

Have had my share of noble character and youthful vigor,

وَأَنّي لا أَميلُ إِلى جَوادٍ

وَأَنّي لا أَميلُ إِلى جَوادٍ

يُعَبِّدُ حُرَّ وَجهي لِلعَطاءِ

يُعَبِّدُ حُرَّ وَجهي لِلعَطاءِ

and because I will not incline toward a generous man

And because I do not turn to a generous man

who would enslave my free face with his giving.

Who enslaves my freeborn face to his bounty.

لَعَمرُكَ ما لِغَدرِكَ فِيَّ ذَنبٌ

لَعَمرُكَ ما لِغَدرِكَ فِيَّ ذَنبٌ

وَلَيسَ الذَنبُ إِلّا مِن وَفائي

وَلَيسَ الذَنبُ إِلّا مِن وَفائي

By your life, your treachery toward me bears no blame;

By your life, your betrayal is not to blame for my plight;

the blame belongs only to my faithfulness.

And the fault lies only in my faithfulness.

وَما جودُ الزَفيرِ عَلَيكَ جوداً

وَما جودُ الزَفيرِ عَلَيكَ جوداً

وَلَكِن ذاكَ مِن لُؤمِ العَزاءِ

وَلَكِن ذاكَ مِن لُؤمِ العَزاءِ

My lavish sighing over you is no act of largesse;

Nor is lavishing sighs over you generosity;

rather, it is born of consolation’s poverty.

But that stems from the stinginess of solace.

مُعاداةُ الرِجالِ عَلى اللَيالي

مُعاداةُ الرِجالِ عَلى اللَيالي

أُطيقُ وَلا مُداراةُ النِساءِ

أُطيقُ وَلا مُداراةُ النِساءِ

I can endure men’s hostility as the nights pass,

Enmity with men, night after night,

but not the need to placate women.

I can endure, but not humoring women.