قالَتْ لَهُ وَقَوْلُهَا إِحْزانْ

قالَتْ لَهُ وَقَوْلُهَا إِحْزانْ

ذَرُوهُ وَالقَوْلُ لَهُ بَيانْ

ذَرُوهُ وَالقَوْلُ لَهُ بَيانْ

She said to him, her words bringing sorrow:

She said to him, her words full of sorrow:

Leave him be—and the words are clear to him.

Leave him be, he can speak for himself.

يا أَبَتا أَرَّقَنِي القِدّانْ

يا أَبَتا أَرَّقَنِي القِدّانْ

فَالنَوْمُ لا تَطْعَمُهُ العَيْنانْ

فَالنَوْمُ لا تَطْعَمُهُ العَيْنانْ

O my father, the fleas have kept me awake;

Oh father, the anklets have kept me awake,

So my two eyes cannot taste sleep,

So sleep evades my eyes this night.

مِنْ وَخْذِ بَرْغُوتٍ لَه أَسْنانْ

مِنْ وَخْذِ بَرْغُوتٍ لَه أَسْنانْ

وَلِلْبَعُوضِ فَوْقَهُ دَنْدانْ

وَلِلْبَعُوضِ فَوْقَهُ دَنْدانْ

From the prick of a flea that has teeth,

From the bite of a pup with sharp teeth,

And above it comes the mosquitoes’ buzzing.

And a mosquito hovering above.