عَلى بَيتِ عُصرونَ العَفاءُ فَما لَهُم

عَلى بَيتِ عُصرونَ العَفاءُ فَما لَهُم

قَديمٌ وَلا عَندَ الفَخارِ حَديثُ

قَديمٌ وَلا عَندَ الفَخارِ حَديثُ

May ruin fall upon the house of ʿAṣrūn, for they have no

In the house of Ussurun is abandonment, yet they have

Ancient distinction, nor recent glory to boast of.

No antiquity, nor at potters any newness.

إِذا رَكِبَ القَومُ البِغالَ أَو اِبتَدوا

إِذا رَكِبَ القَومُ البِغالَ أَو اِبتَدوا

فَما لَهُم في المَكرُماتِ حَديثُ

فَما لَهُم في المَكرُماتِ حَديثُ

When the men mount mules or take to the open country,

When people ride mules or initiate,

No mention is made of them among noble deeds.

Then for them in virtues there is no newness.

بِغالاً تَرى أَذنابَها كَلِحاهُمُ

بِغالاً تَرى أَذنابَها كَلِحاهُمُ

فَتَضرِطُ مِن أَفواهِهِم وَتَروثُ

فَتَضرِطُ مِن أَفواهِهِم وَتَروثُ

You see mules whose tails resemble those men's beards,

Mules you see, their tails like their faces,

So they fart through those men's mouths and drop dung.

So they belch from their mouths and they urinate.

وَما لَهُم وُدٌّ بَلى إِنَّ كُلَّهم

وَما لَهُم وُدٌّ بَلى إِنَّ كُلَّهم

يَعوقُ عَنِ الجَدوى وَلَيسَ يَغوثُ

يَعوقُ عَنِ الجَدوى وَلَيسَ يَغوثُ

And they have no love (Wudd); nay, indeed, each of them

And they have no affection. Rather all of them

Hinders bounty (Yaʿūq) and gives no aid (Yaghūth).

Impede from seriousness and do not give succor.