سألتنا زُمرُّدُ

سألتنا زُمرُّدُ

تلبسُ الخِرقة التي

تلبسُ الخِرقة التي

Zumurrud asked us

Zumurrud asked us

to let her don the patched Sufi cloak—the one...

to let her wear the cloak which—

ثمّ لما أجبتُها

ثمّ لما أجبتُها

لبستْها وولَّت

لبستْها وولَّت

Then, when I granted her request,

Then, when I answered her,

she put it on and wailed,

she put it on and turned away

نحو مصرَ ببنتها

نحو مصرَ ببنتها

تبتغي سدَّ خلَّة

تبتغي سدَّ خلَّة

and, with her daughter, headed toward Egypt,

toward Egypt with her daughter,

seeking to satisfy a need.

seeking to meet a need.

عندما تمَّ ما نَوَتْ

عندما تمَّ ما نَوَتْ

تركتها وانسلَّت

تركتها وانسلَّت

When what she intended was accomplished,

When what she intended was accomplished,

she left her daughter and slipped away,

she left her and slipped away,

تبتغي أرضَ جلَّق

تبتغي أرضَ جلَّق

بانكسارٍ وذِلَّة

بانكسارٍ وذِلَّة

seeking the land of Jalw

seeking the land of Jillaq,

in dejection and abasement,

in brokenness and abasement,

لبناتٍ لها بها

لبناتٍ لها بها

حينَ ملَّتْ وملَّت

حينَ ملَّتْ وملَّت

for daughters she had there,

for daughters of hers there,

when she had grown weary, utterly weary.

when she grew weary and others wearied of her.

وأتتْ عندما أتتْ

وأتتْ عندما أتتْ

شانها سوءُ فعلة

شانها سوءُ فعلة

And she came—when she came—

And she came when she came;

the vileness of a deed disgraced her.

an evil deed disgraced her.

وتعالت لأنها

وتعالت لأنها

بهواها استقلَّت

بهواها استقلَّت

She bore herself haughtily, because

And she grew haughty because she

she went her own way, ruled by her whim.

went her own way, following her desire.