1. يا لِلّه بجاه الخضر أَبو العَباس

    تفرج هموماً بالضَمير اطماس

    O God, by the honor of al-Khidr, Abu al-Abbas,

    relieve the sorrows buried deep within the heart.

  2. من بَعد محنا خاص عال العال

    صرنا معاره لا جَميع الناس

    After we were the favored ones, at the very height,

    we became a disgrace before all people.

  3. من بَعد ما حنا عال عالا قران

    أَول برنجي نشرب الفنجان

    After we were high above our peers,

    first and foremost, we would drink the cup.

  4. يا حسرَتي مال الزَمان وَخان

    فينا وبدل جوهرا بنحاس

    Alas for me! Time turned and proved treacherous

    toward us, exchanging a jewel for copper;

  5. فينا وَبدل جوهر بقصدير

    يا لربع كيف الرَأي وَالتَدبير

    toward us, exchanging a jewel for tin.

    O companions, what counsel and what plan?

  6. سنتين تحت الحُكم وَالتَنمير

    عالباب خَمسة وَأَربعة حراس

    Two years under rule and intimidation,

    at the door, five and four guards;

  7. عالباب خَمسة وَأَربعة حجاب

    مِن جورهم شَحمي وَلَحمي ذاب

    at the door, five and four doorkeepers.

    Through their oppression, my fat and flesh melted,

  8. وَالرَأس مني قبل حينا شاب

    وَلحقت عَلى المَعروف وَالنوماس

    and my head turned gray before its time.

    And I appealed to kindness and honor;

  9. لحقت عالنوماس وَالمَعروف

    وَكثير مثلي من بني معروف

    I appealed to honor and kindness,

    and many like me among Bani Ma'ruf.

  10. منهم يقولوا كاتبوا للشوف

    وَعلى القراني حرقوا القرطاس

    Some of them say, 'Write to the Shuf,'

    and concerning al-Qarani [unclear reference], they burned the paper;

  11. على القراني حرقوا التحرير

    بلكي يجينا منفعة من المير

    concerning al-Qarani [unclear reference], they burned the written document,

    perhaps some benefit might come to us from the emir.

  12. والبيك لَولا رتبتو بطير

    اللي لَهُ المتمايزة عالراس

    And the bey, were it not for his rank, would fly away,

    the one with the distinguished rank upon his head.

  13. متمايزة وفيها أمر سلطان

    وَباقي المَناصب يَعملوا دِيوان

    A distinguished rank, containing a sultan's decree;

    and let the other officeholders convene a council:

  14. شُيوخ العقل بِالجاه وَالإِيمان

    وَأَهل الجبل من خاص خاص الخاص

    the Shaykhs al-Aql, with prestige and faith,

    and the people of the Mountain, the elite of the elite of the elite.

  15. أَهل الجبل وَالشوف وَالعرقوب

    لا بُد مِنهُم يحصل المَطلوب

    The people of the Mountain, the Shuf, and the Arqub—

    through them the desired end must surely be achieved.

  16. وَمِن قَبل قالوا مثل مَضروب

    من راد يحظى باللآلي غاص

    And long ago they spoke a familiar proverb:

    'Whoever wished to win pearls dived.'

  17. من راد يحظى باللآليء غاب

    مِن فُوق سادوح البَحر ركاب

    'Whoever wished to win pearls vanished.'

    Passengers atop the sea's roof,

  18. دار السَعادة آخر المطلاب

    يقول الشفاعة يا إِله الناس

    Dar al-Sa'ada is the final goal.

    He says, 'Intercession, O God of mankind!'

  19. مقبول الشَفاعة يا ملك فينا

    وَاللي جَرى حاجي يَكفينا

    May intercession be accepted for us, O king.

    And what has happened—enough!—suffices us.

  20. نحنا بصايتكم تربينا

    وَالبَحر ما بيعكروا الطماس

    We were brought up under your protection.

    And the sea is not muddied by the diver;

  21. وَالبَحر ما بيعكروا السباح

    يا سيدنا أَصل السَماح ملاح

    and the sea is not muddied by the swimmer.

    O our master, generosity is noble at its root.

  22. وَإِن ما حصلوا منفعة ورباح

    بيكون عن جهة عتبنا لاص

    And if they gain no benefit or profit,

    he will have sidestepped our reproach.

  23. بيكون بري من العتب مني

    هذا كَلامي وَهم وَتمني

    He will be free of reproach from me.

    These words of mine are fantasy and wishing.

  24. خَمري عَلى هالفن بيغني

    يُوم ان تجوز بنت أَبو عباس

    Khamri [possibly 'my wine'] sings in this style,

    the day he married Abu Abbas's daughter.

  25. لَما خطبها بِالخلا وَحدو

    وَقال غَنوا يا زلم وَاحدو

    When he sought her hand in the wilderness, alone,

    and said, 'Sing, men, and chant!'

  26. فوتوا اسحبوا هالبنت من عندو

    مِن غير شور وَأَنا أَخو المياس

    'Go in and pull this girl away from him,

    without asking leave—and I am al-Mayyas's brother!'

  27. هَذا كَلام الوَهم رَكبناه

    غج اللغا ما يفهموا مَعناه

    This is talk of fantasy that we pieced together;

    obscure speech [uncertain reading]—they do not understand its meaning.

  28. إِن كان في بر العرب ذعناه

    بيكون عقب الهَم راق الكاس

    If we spread it through the land of the Arabs,

    then, after sorrow, the cup will clear;

  29. بيكون عقب الهَم طاب الراح

    وَقَلب الشَقي عقب الهُموم اِرتَاح

    then, after sorrow, the wine will grow sweet,

    and the wretched one's heart will find rest after sorrows.

  30. إِن كان رحنا بَعد ياما راح

    وَإِن كان نسنا بعديا ما ناس

    If we have departed, how many have departed too!

    And if we have drifted away, how many have drifted away too!

  31. وَإِن كان نسنا بَعد يا ما غاب

    يا ما غزل مكوك ها لدولاب

    And if we have drifted away, how many have vanished too!

    How much this wheel's shuttle has spun!

  32. يا ما ببابور البَحر ركاب

    وَيا ما سَقى بطاسات هالنحاس

    How many passengers aboard the sea-going steamer!

    And how often he gave drink in bowls of this copper!

  33. يا ما سَقا بطاسات هالخمار

    يا ما ظلم تلحوق يا ما جار

    How often he gave drink in this wine-seller's bowls!

    How often Talhuq oppressed, how often he was unjust!

  34. يا لِلّه بِجاه النَبي المختار

    تَجعل لَنا وَيا الربع مخلاص

    O God, by the honor of the chosen Prophet,

    grant us and our companions a way out.