غَنّي بِصَوتٍ مِثلِ سَوطِ عَذابِ

غَنّي بِصَوتٍ مِثلِ سَوطِ عَذابِ

وَبَدا بِوَجهٍ مِثلِ ظَهرِ غُرابِ

وَبَدا بِوَجهٍ مِثلِ ظَهرِ غُرابِ

He sang in a voice like a whip of torment,

He sang with a voice like the lash of torment

And appeared with a face like a raven’s back.

And appeared with a face like the back of a crow

فَوَدَدتُ أَنّي لا أَراهُ فَإِنَّني

فَوَدَدتُ أَنّي لا أَراهُ فَإِنَّني

بَكَرَت إِلَيَّ مُغيرَةُ الأَعرابِ

بَكَرَت إِلَيَّ مُغيرَةُ الأَعرابِ

So I wished not to see him, for indeed

I wished I did not see him, for

A raiding band of Bedouins had come upon me at dawn.

The coarseness of the nomads disgusted me