أَنّي سَمِعتُ خَليلي

نَحوَ الرُصافَةِ رَنَّه

I heard my beloved

Singing as he went towards Ar-Rusafah

خَرَجتُ أَسحَبُ ذَيلي

أَقولُ ما شَأنُهُنَّه

I went out dragging my skirt

Saying, what is wrong with him

إِذا بَناتُ هِشامٍ

يَندُبنَ والِدَهُنَّه

When Hisham's daughters

Were mourning their father

يَندُبنَ شَيخاً كَبيراً

قَد كانَ يَعضُدُهُنَّه

Mourning an old man

Who used to support them

يَقُلنَ وَيلاً وَعَولاً

وَالوَيلُ حَلَّ بِهِنَّه

They were crying, "Woe and alas!"

And woe has befallen them

أَنا المُخَنَّثُ حَقّاً

إِن لَم أُنِيِّكُهُنَّه

I am truly effeminate

If I don't console them