على أبن العصب الملح

ي يثني اليوم من أثنى

On the son of kinship, the salty

He who praises today whoever praised

على الجلد وإن صاد

ف في أعظمه وهنا

On the skin, even if it turns away

So in its greatest weakness, here

ضحينا عنده يوما

شديد الحر فالتحنا

We sacrificed one day

A severely hot day where we felt humble

ولم يحو به الأجر

ولم نعدم به المنا

And he did not care for the reward

Nor did we lack provision

جياعا نصف الزيتو

ن لو أمكن والجبنا

Hungry, half the olive oil

If it were possible, and the cheese

ونطري السمك البن

ي والجردق والبنا

And we cook the white fish

And the carp and the eggplant

وكنا ننثر الدر

من اللفظ فخلطنا

And we were scattering the pearls

Of speech so we mixed them up

فلو طارت بنا ضعفا

صبا لاعبة طرنا

If our weakness doubled

Playing breezes blew us

ولو أنا دعونا الل

ه في دعوته فزنا

And if we called upon God

In His call so He brought us blessing

إلى أن كبر العصر

وهللنا فكبرنا

Until the day grew old

And we praised so we grew great

ونش السمك المقل

و بالقرب فسبحنا

And the cooked fish arose

With nearness so we swam

وقلنا هذه الرحم

ة جاءت فأظلتنا

And we said this is the mercy

That came and shaded us

وظلنا إذ رأينا الخب

ز ندنو قبل نستدنى

And we stayed when we saw the bread

Draw near before being called

إلى مائدة حفت

بها أرغفة مثنى

To a table lined

With loaves folded over

عليها البقل لا نلح

قه بالخل أو يفنى

On it is basil, we did not dress it with vinegar or it would spoil

And poured into its broth

ومنسبوب إلى دجل

ه ما زال لها خدنا

What still drew us to it

Flowing in its waters before

جرى في مائها قبل

يجاري ماؤها السفنا

Racing alongside ships

So it remained the life

فأضحى لامتداد العم

ر أعلى صيدها سنا

Above its highest years

It folded its contemporaries, time

طوى أقرانه الدهر

فلم يبق له قرنا

So no horns remained for it

So when my eyes were lined with it

فلما اكتحلت عيني

به أوسعته لعنا

I widened them with curses

We undid the necklace of companionship

حللنا عقد الشوا

ء عن جسم له مضنى

From a body heavy with meaning

And tore for it a coat

ومزقنا له درعا

يواري أعظما حجنا

Covering our greatest shame

The hand turns back in disappointment

ترد اليد بالخيب

ة عن أقربها مجنى

From its closest path

So completeness was not for us in satisfaction or we fastened

فما تم لنا الإفطا

ر بالقوت ولا صمنا

And the Sheikh wandered

Until the world dripped away

وطاف الشيخ بالدن

إلى أن نزف الدنا

So the bitterness of life

Drew near, no less than what drew near

فأدنى كدر العيش

بها لا كان ما أدنى

As long as worries come

And do not depart from us

مدام تجلب الهم

ولا تطرده عنا

Neither does the self delight in it

Nor does the heart love it

فلا النفس بها سرت

ولا القلب لها حنا

As if the drinking were cooked

On its right forearm

كأن الشرب مطبوخ

على راحته اليمنى

And the scent of the deadly qat

Steamed from it so we evaporated

وفاح البخر القات

ل منه فتبخرنا

And he said "seize the union

Of a maiden who perfected beauty"

وقال اغتنموا وصل

فتاة برعت حسنا

So she came, shaming the full moon

And a delicate myrtle branch

فجاءت تخجل البدر

وغصن البانة اللدنا

And hunts the hearts of drink

With her eyelids and teeth

وتصطاد قلوب الشر

ب أجفان لها وسنى

So we lied, and God refused

For us, and proper behavior

فكذبنا وأبى الله

لنا والشيم الحسنى

And we stood, wrapping modesty

When we stood

وقمنا نعطف الأزر

على العفة إذ قمنا

And we said "O God’s planning

We fornicated after growing up"

وقلنا يا لحاك الل

ه نزني بعدما شبنا

So he showed friendliness to the people

And hid the hatred and malice

فأبدى الأنس للقوم

وأخفى الحقد والضغنا

He is baseness, and what

Matched us was a layer of baseness

هو الشن وما واف

ق منا طبق شنا