طالَ في هَذِهِ السَواداتِ لَبثي

طالَ في هَذِهِ السَواداتِ لَبثي

وَاِشتِكائي فيها غَرامي وَبَثّي

وَاِشتِكائي فيها غَرامي وَبَثّي

My stay in these rural districts has grown long,

My stay in these darknesses has been prolonged

And my lamenting there of my anguish and grief.

And my pining in them, my passion and outpouring of woes

مُعمِلُ الفِكرِ يَقتُلُ الجَرجَرا

مُعمِلُ الفِكرِ يَقتُلُ الجَرجَرا

ئِيُّ أَخِلّايَ بِالعِراقِ وَإِرثي

ئِيُّ أَخِلّايَ بِالعِراقِ وَإِرثي

With his mind at work, al-Jarjarāʾī kills

The workings of thought kill my mind

My friends in Iraq and my inheritance.

My intimates have forsaken Iraq and my legacy

عَلَّقَ اللَهُ فَوقَ خِصيَتَيكَ ما كا

عَلَّقَ اللَهُ فَوقَ خِصيَتَيكَ ما كا

نَ يُخاليكَ مِن حُلاقٍ وَخُبثِ

نَ يُخاليكَ مِن حُلاقٍ وَخُبثِ

May God hang above your testicles whatever

God has hung above your testicles what would

Ruin and wickedness you were once spared.

Save you from being stripped bare and vileness

قَد تَشَكّى الإِخوانُ سُرعَةَ أَخذٍ

قَد تَشَكّى الإِخوانُ سُرعَةَ أَخذٍ

مِنكَ أَحدَثتَها وَقِلَّةَ لَبثِ

مِنكَ أَحدَثتَها وَقِلَّةَ لَبثِ

The friends have complained of haste in taking

The brothers have complained of your hasty seizure

On your part—a practice you introduced—and of scant lingering.

You brought it about and brief stay

أَكَرِهتَ العِتابَ مِن مُستَزيدٍ

أَكَرِهتَ العِتابَ مِن مُستَزيدٍ

أَم كَرِهتَ العِتابَ مِن مُستَحِثِّ

أَم كَرِهتَ العِتابَ مِن مُستَحِثِّ

Have you resented reproach from one asking for more,

Did you dislike reproach from one made brazen

Or resented reproach from one urging haste,

Or did you dislike reproach from one made bold?

وَحَديثٍ عَن أَوَّليكَ يُقَهّي

وَحَديثٍ عَن أَوَّليكَ يُقَهّي

عَن سَماعِ الحَديثِ يُنثى وَيُغثي

عَن سَماعِ الحَديثِ يُنثى وَيُغثي

And an account of your forebears that puts one off

And talk of your first ones makes me refrain

Hearing any tale recounted, and makes one sick?

From listening to feminine or coarse talk

ما اِرتَضى الهُرمُزانُ شامِطَ باقي

ما اِرتَضى الهُرمُزانُ شامِطَ باقي

أَن تُدعى لَهُ وَلا أُعَمِّرَ بَثّي

أَن تُدعى لَهُ وَلا أُعَمِّرَ بَثّي

Al-Hurmuzān Shāmiṭ Bāqī did not consent

Al-Hormuzan did not approve that the remainder of Shamit

To your being ascribed to him; nor did Uʿammir Baththī.

Be summoned for him or that I give him long life

يَغفِرُ اللَهُ وَهُوَ لِلغَفرِ أَهلٌ

يَغفِرُ اللَهُ وَهُوَ لِلغَفرِ أَهلٌ

حَلِفي أَنَّكُم بَنوهُ وَحِنثي

حَلِفي أَنَّكُم بَنوهُ وَحِنثي

May God forgive—He is worthy to forgive—

May God forgive—and He is most forgiving—

My oath that you are his sons, and my perjury.

I swear you are his sons, though breakers of oaths