بت من البرغوث طول الدجى

بت من البرغوث طول الدجى

مسهد الجفن بليل السليم

مسهد الجفن بليل السليم

I spent the long dark night tormented by the flea,

I spent the night restless like a flea

my eyelids sleepless through a snakebite victim’s night.

My eyelids burdened by the peaceful night

وراحتي في شغل شاغل

وراحتي في شغل شاغل

وناظري ساه وجفني كليم

وناظري ساه وجفني كليم

My hand was kept at an engrossing task,

While my mind was preoccupied

my gaze wakeful and my eyelid wounded.

And my eyes were awake though heavy

لما غدا فرعون في سطوة

لما غدا فرعون في سطوة

خشيته خشية موسى الكليم

خشيته خشية موسى الكليم

When this Pharaoh waxed mighty in his tyranny,

When Pharaoh became tyrannical

I feared him as Moses, God’s interlocutor, feared.

I feared him like Moses the speaker

وهو إذا نادمني من دمى

وهو إذا نادمني من دمى

يشرب ارطالا فبئس النديم

يشرب ارطالا فبئس النديم

Whenever he joins me as a drinking companion, from my blood

And when he invites me to drink my blood

he drinks whole pints—what a wretched companion!

He drinks gallons - what an evil drinking companion

افر منه خيفة هارباً

افر منه خيفة هارباً

وهو على اثري بنهج قويم

وهو على اثري بنهج قويم

I flee from him, running away in fear,

So I fled from him in fright

while he follows my tracks along a straight path.

While he chased me steadily

فلا تلومن تميماً إذا

فلا تلومن تميماً إذا

رأته في زحف فولت تميم

رأته في زحف فولت تميم

So never blame the tribe of Tamim if

So don't blame me, O Tameem

it saw him advancing in battle and Tamim turned and fled.

If I see him attacking and flee, O Tameem