نَكحتُ المدينيّ إِذ جاءَني

نَكحتُ المدينيّ إِذ جاءَني

فَيا لكِ مِن نكحةٍ غاوِيَه

فَيا لكِ مِن نكحةٍ غاوِيَه

I married the Medinese when he came to me,

I married the Medinan when he came to me;

and what a ruinous match it was!

and oh, what a misguided marriage!

لَهُ دفرٌ كصنانِ التيوس

لَهُ دفرٌ كصنانِ التيوس

أَعيا عَلى المسكِ وَالغالِيَه

أَعيا عَلى المسكِ وَالغالِيَه

He reeks like the rank sweat of he-goats,

He has a stench like the rank smell of he-goats,

a stench that defies musk and ghāliya perfume.

too much for musk and ghāliyah perfume.

كُهولُ دمشقَ وَشبّانها

كُهولُ دمشقَ وَشبّانها

أحبّ إِلينا مِنَ الجالِيَه

أحبّ إِلينا مِنَ الجالِيَه

The middle-aged men of Damascus, and its youths,

The middle-aged men of Damascus and its young men

are dearer to us than the outlanders.

are dearer to us than the migrants.

فَقدتُ الشيوخَ وَأشياعهم

فَقدتُ الشيوخَ وَأشياعهم

وَذلك مِن بعضِ أَقوالِيَه

وَذلك مِن بعضِ أَقوالِيَه

I can do without old men and their ilk—

May I be rid of old men and their followers—

and that is but one of my sayings.

and that is but one of my sayings.

ترى زَوجةُ الشيخِ مَغمومةً

ترى زَوجةُ الشيخِ مَغمومةً

وَتمسي لصحبتهِ قالِيَه

وَتمسي لصحبتهِ قالِيَه

You see an old man’s wife sunk in sorrow,

The old man's wife is seen sorrowful,

and by evening she loathes his company.

and comes to evening loathing his company.

فَلا بارَك اللَّه في عردهِ

فَلا بارَك اللَّه في عردهِ

وَلا في غضونِ اِستهِ البالِيَه

وَلا في غضونِ اِستهِ البالِيَه

So may God never bless his cock,

So may God not bless his cock,

nor the worn-out folds of his arse.

nor the wrinkles of his worn-out arse.