ألم ترني والمرء يقلي ابن أمه

ألم ترني والمرء يقلي ابن أمه

إذا ما أتت عوجاء لا تتقوم

إذا ما أتت عوجاء لا تتقوم

Have you not seen me—and a man may hate his mother's son

Did you not see me, though man is his mother's son,

when a crooked matter arises that cannot be set straight—

When the crooked one comes not to be made straight,

ضممت جناحي عن أبي النظر بعدما

ضممت جناحي عن أبي النظر بعدما

تلومته ما كان لي متلوم

تلومته ما كان لي متلوم

draw my wing back from Abu al-Nazar, after

I fold my wings from the sight of my father after

I had waited patiently for him as long as I could?

I blamed him, though blame for me was not right,

وقلت له لما التقينا وقال لي

وقلت له لما التقينا وقال لي

مقالة مزر عائث يتجرم

مقالة مزر عائث يتجرم

And I said to him when we met—and he had said to me

And I said to him when we met, and he said to me

the words of a scornful mischief-maker fabricating accusations—

Words of censure, a wanton transgressor,

أتعذلني في أن أبيعك مثل ما

أتعذلني في أن أبيعك مثل ما

به بعتني والبادىء البيع أظلم

به بعتني والبادىء البيع أظلم

“Do you reproach me for selling you just as

Do you blame me if I sell you the same as

you sold me? And he who begins the sale is more unjust.

What you sold me for? Yet the first seller is more unjust.

وليس على ود آمرى ليس عنده

وليس على ود آمرى ليس عنده

وفاء ولا عهد إذا غاب مندم

وفاء ولا عهد إذا غاب مندم

Nor is there, for the affection of a man who has no

There is no true love in one without fidelity

loyalty or pledge, any regret when he is gone.”

Or covenant, when the companion is absent.