وَمُرَوِّعٍ لي بِالسَلامِ كَأَنَّما

وَمُرَوِّعٍ لي بِالسَلامِ كَأَنَّما

تَسليمُهُ فيما يَمُضُّ وَداعُ

تَسليمُهُ فيما يَمُضُّ وَداعُ

And one startles me with his greeting, as though

His greeting is frighteningly peaceful to me

his greeting, in the pain it causes, were a farewell.

As if his farewell passes in goodbye

تَغفى بِمَنظَرِهِ العُيونُ إِذا بَدا

تَغفى بِمَنظَرِهِ العُيونُ إِذا بَدا

وَتَقىءُ عِندَ غِنائِهِ الأَسماعُ

وَتَقىءُ عِندَ غِنائِهِ الأَسماعُ

Eyes grow drowsy at the sight of him when he appears,

Eyes close at the sight of him should he appear

and ears vomit at his singing.

And ears vomit at the sound of his singing

أَبذاكَ نَستَشفي وَمِن نَغَماتِه

أَبذاكَ نَستَشفي وَمِن نَغَماتِه

تَتَوَلَّدُ الآلامُ وَالأَوجاعُ

تَتَوَلَّدُ الآلامُ وَالأَوجاعُ

Are we to seek healing through that, when from his notes

Is this how we heal ourselves, when from his melodies

pains and aches are born?

Pains and aches are born?

أَم كَيفَ يُطرِبُنا غِناءُ مُشَوَّةٍ

أَم كَيفَ يُطرِبُنا غِناءُ مُشَوَّةٍ

أَبَداً نُهالُ بِوَجهِهِ وَنُراعُ

أَبَداً نُهالُ بِوَجهِهِ وَنُراعُ

Or how can a hideous man's singing delight us,

How can the singing of a tempting man

when his face forever terrifies and frightens us?

Who we forever flee his face, delight us?

نَزوي الوُجوهَ تَفادِياً مِن صَوتِهِ

نَزوي الوُجوهَ تَفادِياً مِن صَوتِهِ

حَتّى كَأَنَّ سَماعَهُ إِسماعُ

حَتّى كَأَنَّ سَماعَهُ إِسماعُ

We contort our faces to escape his voice,

We turn our faces to avoid his voice

so that hearing him seems like enduring abuse.

As if hearing him is deafness

وَكَأَنَّ ضَربَ بَنانِهِ ضَربُ الطُلى

وَكَأَنَّ ضَربَ بَنانِهِ ضَربُ الطُلى

وَكَأَنَّما إيقاعُهُ إيقاعُ

وَكَأَنَّما إيقاعُهُ إيقاعُ

And his fingertips' strokes seem like blows to necks,

As if the striking of his fingers is the striking of folly

and his rhythm seems an assault.

And his rhythm is but noise

أَشهى إِلَينا مِن غِنائِكَ مَسمَعاً

أَشهى إِلَينا مِن غِنائِكَ مَسمَعاً

زَجَلُ الضَراغِمِ بَينَهُنَّ قِراعُ

زَجَلُ الضَراغِمِ بَينَهُنَّ قِراعُ

Sweeter for us to hear than your singing

More pleasing to me than your singing heard

is the roar of lions fighting one another.

Is the clash of lutes amidst their playing