أَلَستَ اللَئيمَ وَفَرخَ اللَئيمِ

أَلَستَ اللَئيمَ وَفَرخَ اللَئيمِ

فَما لَكَ يا اِبنَ أَبي كامِلِ

فَما لَكَ يا اِبنَ أَبي كامِلِ

Are you not a vile man, and a vile man’s chick?

Are you not the despicable one, offspring of the despicable?

Then what ails you, O son of Abu Kamil?

What is wrong with you, O son of Abu Kamil?

أَخالَفتَ سَعداً وَحُكّامَها

أَخالَفتَ سَعداً وَحُكّامَها

أَيا ضَرَّةَ الأَرنَبِ الحافِلِ

أَيا ضَرَّةَ الأَرنَبِ الحافِلِ

Have you defied Sa'd and its rulers,

You opposed Sa'd and his rulers,

O udder of the milk-laden hare?

O harmful offspring of the prolific rabbit!

فَلَولا زِيادٌ وَحُسنُ البَلاءِ

فَلَولا زِيادٌ وَحُسنُ البَلاءِ

وَإِنّي أَهابُ أَبا كامِلِ

وَإِنّي أَهابُ أَبا كامِلِ

Were it not for Ziyad and good service rendered—

If not for Ziyad and the excellence of adversity,

and indeed I fear Abu Kamil—

And I do fear Abu Kamil,

لَنالَ أَبا كامِلٍ وَاِبنَهُ

لَنالَ أَبا كامِلٍ وَاِبنَهُ

صَواعِقُ مِن بَرِدٍ وابِلِ

صَواعِقُ مِن بَرِدٍ وابِلِ

Abu Kamil and his son would have been struck

Abu Kamil and his son would have faced

by thunderbolts from a hail-laden cloud pouring rain.

Lightning bolts of intense cold rain.