كادَ دَندانُ بِأَن يَجعَلَني

كادَ دَندانُ بِأَن يَجعَلَني

يَومَ ناباذَ طَعاماً لِلسَّمَك

يَومَ ناباذَ طَعاماً لِلسَّمَك

Dandan nearly made me

My teeth almost made me

Food for the fish on the day of Nabadh.

One day prey for the fish

قُلتُ دَندانَ أَغِثني فَمَضى

قُلتُ دَندانَ أَغِثني فَمَضى

وَأَنا أَعلو وَأَهوي في الدَّرَك

وَأَنا أَعلو وَأَهوي في الدَّرَك

I said, “Dandan, rescue me!” And he went away,

I said: "Teeth, save me," but on they went

While I rose and sank in the depths.

As I ascended and plunged into the abyss

وَلَقَد أَوقَعَني في وَرطَةٍ

وَلَقَد أَوقَعَني في وَرطَةٍ

شَيَّبَت رَأسي وَعايَنتُ المَلَك

شَيَّبَت رَأسي وَعايَنتُ المَلَك

And indeed he landed me in a predicament

They cast me into dire straits

That turned my hair gray, and I beheld the angel.

Graying my hair, bringing me to death's door

لَيتَ دَندانَ بِكَفَّي أَسَدٍ

لَيتَ دَندانَ بِكَفَّي أَسَدٍ

أَو قَتيلاً ثاوِياً فيمَن هَلَك

أَو قَتيلاً ثاوِياً فيمَن هَلَك

Would that Dandan were in a lion’s two paws,

I wish, o teeth, you were a lion's claws

Or slain, lying among those who perished.

Or a corpse laid out among the dead