وَمِنهُنَّ إِذ راعى جَناباً وَقَد دَنا

وَمِنهُنَّ إِذ راعى جَناباً وَقَد دَنا

إِلى بابِ مِغلاقِ الشَبا غَيرِ مُغلَقِ

إِلى بابِ مِغلاقِ الشَبا غَيرِ مُغلَقِ

And among them: when he watched a courtyard, having drawn near

to the unbarred door of one who blocks weapon-points.

فَلَمّا رَأى أَن قَد كَرَرتُ وَراءَهُ

فَلَمّا رَأى أَن قَد كَرَرتُ وَراءَهُ

تَكَشَّرَ وَالحَوباءُ عِندَ المُخَنَّقِ

تَكَشَّرَ وَالحَوباءُ عِندَ المُخَنَّقِ

Then, when he saw that I had turned back behind him,

he bared his teeth, his soul at his throat,

تَكَشَّرَ مَكروبٍ يُتَلُّ وَكَم رَأى

تَكَشَّرَ مَكروبٍ يُتَلُّ وَكَم رَأى

عَلى بابِ سَلمٍ مِن أَكُفٍّ وَأَسوُقِ

عَلى بابِ سَلمٍ مِن أَكُفٍّ وَأَسوُقِ

the grimace of a distressed man thrown down—and how many he had seen

at Salm’s door—hands and legs!

فَلَو أَنَّني داوَيتُ قَوماً شَفَيتُهُم

فَلَو أَنَّني داوَيتُ قَوماً شَفَيتُهُم

وَلَكِنَّني لاقَيتُ مِثلَ الجَلَوبَقِ

وَلَكِنَّني لاقَيتُ مِثلَ الجَلَوبَقِ

Had I treated a people, I would have cured them,

but I encountered the like of al-Jalawbaq.

وَكُنتُ أَرى أَنَّ الجَلَوبَقَ قَد ثَوى

وَكُنتُ أَرى أَنَّ الجَلَوبَقَ قَد ثَوى

فَيَنفِقُ لي مِن بَينَ رُكنَي مُخَفَّقِ

فَيَنفِقُ لي مِن بَينَ رُكنَي مُخَفَّقِ

And I had thought that al-Jalawbaq had been laid to rest,

yet he slips out before me from between the two corners of a fluttering cloth.