زَحَفَتْ إليّ رَكائِبُ البُرْغوثِ

نَمَّ الظّلامُ بركْبِها المَحْثوثِ

The fleas' cavalry crept towards me,

Darkness spread with their numerous army,

بالحَبّةِ السّوْداء قابَلَ مَقْدَمي

للّهِ أيَّ قِرًى أعدّ خَبيثِ

With the black seed it met my forehead,

Oh God, what an evil village it prepared!

كَسَحَتْ بهِنّ ذُبابَ سَرْحِ تجَلُّدِي

لَيْلاً فحَبْلُ الصّبْرِ جِدُّ رَثِيثِ

They crawled with their flies from my clothes' pasture,

At night, the rope of patience is feeble and frail.

إنْ صابَرَتْ نَفْسي أذاهُ تعبّدَتْ

أو صِحْتُ منْهُ أنِفْتُ منْ تَحْنيثي

If my soul endured their harm, it would worship,

Or if I complained of it, I would disdain my wailing.

جَيْشانِ منْ لَيْلٍ وبُرْغوثٍ فهَلْ

جَيْشُ الصّباحِ لصَرْخَتي بمُغيثِ

Two armies of night and fleas, so is there

An army of morning to my scream a savior!