ومسمع غناؤه

يبدل بالفقر الغنى

His singing brings joy,

Exchanging poverty for riches.

شهدته في عصبةٍ

رضيتهم لي قرنا

I saw him in a gathering,

And found the company pleasing.

أبصرته فلم تخب

فراستي لما دنا

My insight did not fail me

When I drew near.

وقلت من ذا وجهه

كيف يكون محسنا

I wondered who this was,

That could be so benevolent.

ورمت أن أروح لل

ظن به ممتحنا

I thought I would test him,

With suspicious intent.

فقلت من بينهم

هات أخي غن لنا

So I said, from among them,

"Brother, sing us a song!"

ويوم سلعٍ لم يكن

يومي بسلعٍ هينا

It was not an easy day for me

In that gathering.

فانشال منه حاجب

وحلجب منه انحنى

He frowned,

And his eyebrows knitted.

وامتلأ المجلس من

فيه نسيماً منتنا

The room filled with

A foul stench from him.

أوقع إذ وقع في الأن

فس أسباب العنا

When it landed, it planted

The causes of misery in the soul.

وقال لما قال من

يسمع في ظل الفنا

He said what someone says

Who hears amidst oblivion:

وما اكتفى باللحن وال

تخليط حتى لحنا

Nor did he stop at melody and

Mixture until he sang out of tune.

هذا وكم تكشخن ال

وغد وكم تقرنننا

How he pretended and

Tomorrow, how we will mate!

يوهم زمراً أنه

قطعه ودندنا

Feigning a chorus, as if

He composed and hummed it.

وصاح صوتاً نافراً

يخرج عن حد البنا

He cried out a jarring voice

Beyond the bounds of propriety.

وما درى محضره

ماذا على القوم جنى

Unaware, his company,

Of what he had brought upon the people.

فذا يسد أنفه

وذا يسد الأذنا

One held his nose,

Another held his ears closed.

ومنهم جماعة

تستر عنه الأعينا

Among them, a group

Covered their eyes from him.

فاغتظت حتى كدت من

غيظٍ أبث الشجنا

I was so angry I nearly

Spewed my sorrows.

وقلت يا قوم اسمعوا

إما المغني أو أنا

I said, "O people, listen

Either to the singer or to me!"

أقسمت لا أجلس أو

يخرج هذا من هنا

I swore I would not sit until

This one left from here.

جروا برجل الكلب إن

السقم هذا والضنا

"Drag the dog out, for

This illness and discontent!"

قالوا لقد رحمتنا

وذدت عنا المحنا

They said, "You have been merciful

And warded misfortune from us."

فحزت في إخراجه

راحة نفسي والثنا

I took satisfaction in removing him,

Easing my soul and praising God.

وحين ولى شخصه

قرأت فيهم معلنا

When his figure turned to leave

I read relief on their faces.

الحمد لله الذي

أذهب عنا الحزنا

"Praise God, Who

Has removed sorrow from us."