لَجِجتَ بِحُبِّكَ أَهلَ العِراقِ

وَلَولا كَثيرَةُ لَم تَلجَجِ

You enthralled the people of Iraq with your love,

And were it not for Kathira you'd not have enthralled.

فَلَيتَ كَثيرَةَ لَم أَلقَها

كَثيرَةَ أُختَ بَني الخَزرَجِ

Would that I'd never met Kathira -

Kathira the sister of Banu Khazraj.

وَما كَلَّمَتنا وَلَكِنَّها

جَلَت فِلقَةَ القَمَرِ الأَبلَجِ

She did not speak to us but lo!

She shone like the full moon, luminous.

تَخافُ كَثيرَةُ مَن حَولَها

وَتَقتُلُ بِالنَظَرِ الأَدعَجِ

Kathira fears those around her,

And kills with a squinting glance.

فَكِدتُ أَموتُ وَقَد حُمِّلَت

خَطيئَتَهُ رَبَّةُ الدُملُجِ

I almost died when the blame

Was placed on the lady of Dumluj.