بَينَما نَحنُ سالِمونَ جَميعاً

بَينَما نَحنُ سالِمونَ جَميعاً

إِذ أَتانا اِبنُ سالِمٍ مُختالاً

إِذ أَتانا اِبنُ سالِمٍ مُختالاً

While we were all safe and sound,

While we were all at peace

Ibn Salim suddenly came to us, swaggering.

The son of Salim came prancing in

فَتَغَنّى صَوتاً فَكانَ خَطاءً

فَتَغَنّى صَوتاً فَكانَ خَطاءً

ثُمَّ ثَنّى أَيضاً فَكانَ مُحالا

ثُمَّ ثَنّى أَيضاً فَكانَ مُحالا

So he sang a song, and it was wrong;

He sang out loud, it was a mistake

Then he sang again, and that too was absurd.

Then he sang again, it was impossible

سالَنا خِلعَةً عَلى ما تَغَنّى

سالَنا خِلعَةً عَلى ما تَغَنّى

فَخَلَعنا عَلى قَفاهُ النِعالا

فَخَلَعنا عَلى قَفاهُ النِعالا

He asked us for a robe of honor for his singing,

We asked for gifts for his singing

So we bestowed sandals upon the back of his neck.

So we bestowed shoes upon his head