تَغنى العُلَيْليُّ في مجلسٍ

تَغنى العُلَيْليُّ في مجلسٍ

فما زال يُصفَع حتى خَرِسْ

فما زال يُصفَع حتى خَرِسْ

Al-‘Ulayli sang at a gathering,

The bard sang at a gathering

Al-Ulayli sang out in a gathering,

so he kept being slapped until he went mute.

And kept getting slapped until he was mute

But kept getting slapped until he fell silent.

وظَلْنا نُمازحُه باللِّطامِ

وظَلْنا نُمازحُه باللِّطامِ

وقفدِ القذال إلى أن نَعِسْ

وقفدِ القذال إلى أن نَعِسْ

And we kept teasing him with slaps

We kept teasing him with impudence

We continued to jest with him through blows,

and smacks to the back of his head until he grew drowsy.

And the ruffian kept on until he fell asleep

And cuffs to the neck until he grew drowsy.

فغنَّيتُهُ حين دام البلاء

فغنَّيتُهُ حين دام البلاء

وكادت مفاصلُه تنبجسْ

وكادت مفاصلُه تنبجسْ

So I sang to him as the torment continued,

So I sang him away from harm

Then I sang to him as the torment dragged on,

and his joints were about to burst,

When his joints were about to come apart

And his joints were on the verge of snapping apart.

ودرَّت حماليقُهُ والتوى

ودرَّت حماليقُهُ والتوى

كما يلتوي حين يُثنى الهَرِسْ

كما يلتوي حين يُثنى الهَرِسْ

and his eyes bulged, and he writhed,

His cheeks twisted and contorted

His eyes rolled back and his body contorted,

as a lion writhes when bent:

As a shriveled weed twists and contorts

Just as a dry thorn-branch twists when it is bent.

عليك السلام أبا مُنْتنٍ

عليك السلام أبا مُنْتنٍ

فإني أعدُّك فيمن رُمس

فإني أعدُّك فيمن رُمس

Peace be upon you, Abu Muntin,

Greetings to you, foul-smelling father

Peace be upon you, O father of stench,

for I count you among the buried.

For I count you among the accursed

For I count you among those laid in the grave.