وخرقاءَ مُعرِقةٍ في الضلا

وخرقاءَ مُعرِقةٍ في الضلا

ل شاقك في القَصد إرشادُها

ل شاقك في القَصد إرشادُها

And a witless one, deep-rooted in error,

A worn-out crackling camel in the dark

her guidance on the straight path enchants you.

Whose guide for direction pierced her flank

إذا سُقيتْ فبما أُطعِمَتْ

إذا سُقيتْ فبما أُطعِمَتْ

مرنَّقة ماؤها زادُها

مرنَّقة ماؤها زادُها

When she is given drink, it is with what she is fed;

When watered with what she was fed

she is turbid; her water is her sustenance.

Her urine increased her provisions

وإن رَشَفَتْ ريقَها ألسُنٌ

وإن رَشَفَتْ ريقَها ألسُنٌ

وقاءَتْ ففي القيءِ أكبادُها

وقاءَتْ ففي القيءِ أكبادُها

And if tongues sip her saliva

And when she gulped her own spittle

and vomit, her livers are in the vomit.

She vomited her liver in her vomit

تقَطَّع منها فلا تَرعوِي

تقَطَّع منها فلا تَرعوِي

وتُعدَى بها وهي عُوّادُها

وتُعدَى بها وهي عُوّادُها

They are cut apart because of her, yet do not desist,

She wanders astray from it yet cares not

and are infected through her, though they are her sickbed visitors.

And with it she is led though she’s accustomed

ترى زوجَها أبداً فوقها

ترى زوجَها أبداً فوقها

ومن غيرهِ جاء أولادُها

ومن غيرهِ جاء أولادُها

You see her husband always above her,

She sees her mate ever above her

and her children came from someone other than him.

While from another came her offspring