إذا غَنى أبو نَصرٍ

إذا غَنى أبو نَصرٍ

ظنَنا أنَّه ذكَّر

ظنَنا أنَّه ذكَّر

When Abu Nasr sang,

When Abu Nasr sang

we thought he was preaching;

We thought he was a man

ولو أنَّ أبا نَصرٍ

ولو أنَّ أبا نَصرٍ

كما غَنى قَرا نَصَّر

كما غَنى قَرا نَصَّر

and had Abu Nasr

If only Abu Nasr

recited as he sang, he would have converted people to Christianity.

Had read as he sang

وزمرُ الزامرِ الأَص

وزمرُ الزامرِ الأَص

فَر أيضاً خاثرٌ أصفَر

فَر أيضاً خاثرٌ أصفَر

And the yellow piper’s piping

The hum of the lute player's string

is also thick and yellow.

A yellow, withered rose