يا أيُّذا الفيصلُ المزجِي زواجِرَهُ

يا أيُّذا الفيصلُ المزجِي زواجِرَهُ

صوبَ السفين وثوبُ السَّوس سَرْبلَهُ

صوبَ السفين وثوبُ السَّوس سَرْبلَهُ

O discerning arbiter, who directs his stern rebukes

O arbiter, who sends forth his rebukes

toward the ship, which a mantle of woodworm has shrouded.

toward the ships and is clothed in authority’s robe,

أشكوك كوكَك كي ينفك عن جنَفٍ

أشكوك كوكَك كي ينفك عن جنَفٍ

قد كان كَلاّ وكلٌّ ملَّ كلكلَهُ

قد كان كَلاّ وكلٌّ ملَّ كلكلَهُ

I complain of your Kawkab, so that it may be freed from crookedness;

I complain to you of your cook, that he may desist from injustice.

it has indeed become a burden, and everyone has wearied of its massive breast.

He was indeed a burden, and everyone grew weary of his heavy breast.

أباتَني والجِرشَّى حشوُها ضجرٌ

أباتَني والجِرشَّى حشوُها ضجرٌ

إن مسّ شِقِّي خشبُ الفلك قلقلهُ

إن مسّ شِقِّي خشبُ الفلك قلقلهُ

It made me pass the night on a Jurashī mattress, with vexation for its stuffing;

He made me pass the night with my soul full of vexation;

whenever the vessel’s timber touched my flank, it set it trembling.

if the ship’s timbers touched my side, they jolted it.

أف لها دجنْة شوساً أساودُها

أف لها دجنْة شوساً أساودُها

صرعن مِنِّي صِلا لا حراكَ لهُ

صرعن مِنِّي صِلا لا حراكَ لهُ

Fie upon it—a murky darkness, its black serpents fierce;

Fie on that darkness, with its glowering black serpents!

they felled my lower back, leaving it no power to stir.

They felled a viper in me, leaving it motionless.

للعَودُ والناب في وعثاءِ وَخْدِهِما

للعَودُ والناب في وعثاءِ وَخْدِهِما

خيرٌ لمعلوِّطٍ يبغي ترحُّلَهُ

خيرٌ لمعلوِّطٍ يبغي ترحُّلَهُ

Surely the old he-camel and the aged she-camel, amid the hardship of their swift gait,

Indeed, the old he-camel and the aged she-camel, with all the hardship of their swift gait,

are better for an unprovided traveler who seeks to set out.

are better for a bareback rider wishing to travel.