شَرَيتُ الأُمورَ وَغالَيتُها

شَرَيتُ الأُمورَ وَغالَيتُها

فَأَولى لَكُم يا بَني الأَعرَجِ

فَأَولى لَكُم يا بَني الأَعرَجِ

I bought undertakings and paid dearly for them;

I juggled matters and overpriced them

I purchased great matters and raised their price,

so woe to you, O sons of al-A‘raj!

So it's best for you, O sons of Al-Araaj

So woe unto you, O sons of Al-Araj,

تَدِبّونَ حَولَ رِكِيّاتِكُم

تَدِبّونَ حَولَ رِكِيّاتِكُم

دَبيبَ القَنافِذِ في العَرفَجَ

دَبيبَ القَنافِذِ في العَرفَجَ

You creep around your wells

You crawl around your queens

You creep around your water-wells,

as hedgehogs creep through the ʿarfaj scrub.

Like hedgehogs crawling in brushwood

Like the creeping of hedgehogs through the Arfaj.