بنتُ العلاءِ أتتنا وهي حافيةٌ
في يوم وحلٍ كثير الماء والطينِ
She came to us barefoot
The daughter of al-Ala' came to us, barefoot and unshod,
On a muddy, rainy day
On a day of deep mud, water, and soggy clod.
قالت لنا قولةً من بعد خلوتها
قالت لكم جدّتي باللَهِ نيكوني
After secluding herself, she told us
She spoke to us a word, after finding privacy,
My dear grandmother said: By God, be good
Saying, "My grandmother tells you: By God, fuck me!"
فمرّ واللَهِ يا يحيى بفقحتِها
ما مرّ بالطبلِ في يوم الشّعانينِ
By God, Yahya, pass by her land
Then there passed, by God, O Yahya, through her rear,
Better than passing by drums on feast days
Such pounding as the drum takes on Palm Sunday every year.
