أَحمَدُ لا تَكسُ اَبا أَحمَدٍ

أَحمَدُ لا تَكسُ اَبا أَحمَدٍ

حُبّاً فَما يُشبِهُ أَحبابَك

حُبّاً فَما يُشبِهُ أَحبابَك

Ahmad, do not clothe Abu Ahmad

Ah, how you yearn, Ahmad, mourning days gone by

with love, for he does not resemble your loved ones.

Yet no friend can ever hope to match the one you cry for

وَاِطرُدهُ عَن بابِك إِن جاءَهُ

وَاِطرُدهُ عَن بابِك إِن جاءَهُ

فَإِنَّهُ أَدبَرُ مِن بابَك

فَإِنَّهُ أَدبَرُ مِن بابَك

And drive him from your door if he comes to it,

If he should come to call, just send him on his way

for he is more ill-fated than Babak.

For he who leaves can never linger by your door