يا بانيَ الدَّرجِ الذي أولَى به

يا بانيَ الدَّرجِ الذي أولَى به

لو كان يعقل هَدْمُها من دارِهِ

لو كان يعقل هَدْمُها من دارِهِ

O builder of the stairs, whose better course—

O builder of the staircase, which, had it sense,

if he had sense—would be to tear them out of his house.

Its ruin would have been foremost in its thought,

لا تبنينَّ بنيةً قوَّادةً

لا تبنينَّ بنيةً قوَّادةً

تُزْني بناتِ أبي البنات بجارِهِ

تُزْني بناتِ أبي البنات بجارِهِ

Do not ever build a structure that acts as a procuress,

Build no edifice that plays the pimp

making the daughters of the girls' father fornicate with his neighbor.

And beautifies the daughters of Abu'l-Banat for its neighbor.

لم يَبنها إلا امرؤ متعصّبٌ

لم يَبنها إلا امرؤ متعصّبٌ

للكَشْخ يعجبه ارتفاع شَنارِهِ

للكَشْخ يعجبه ارتفاع شَنارِهِ

None built them but a man fanatically devoted

None built it but a man of violent passion

to shameless cuckoldry, delighted by his mounting disgrace.

Who admires the steep height of its gable.

يا بانيَ الدرج الوثيق بناؤُها

يا بانيَ الدرج الوثيق بناؤُها

بالصخر ينقله على أشفارِهِ

بالصخر ينقله على أشفارِهِ

O builder of the stairs, whose construction is sturdy

O builder of the staircase, so stoutly constructed

with stone he carries upon his eyelids,

With rock transported on his shoulders,

شكراً لما هتَّكن من حُرماتِهِ

شكراً لما هتَّكن من حُرماتِهِ

لا بل لما كثَّرن من أصهارِهِ

لا بل لما كثَّرن من أصهارِهِ

in thanks for the honor of his women they have violated—

Thanks for letting me violate his harem;

no, rather, for the in-laws they have multiplied for him.

Nay rather, for multiplying my in-laws.

كم غافلٍ في سُوقه قنَّعتَهُ

كم غافلٍ في سُوقه قنَّعتَهُ

في عُونه خِزياً وفي أبكارِهِ

في عُونه خِزياً وفي أبكارِهِ

How many an unsuspecting man in his market have you cloaked

How many a heedless man hast thou hoodwinked

in disgrace through his matrons and his maidens!

With shame for his help and for his daughters!

لو غار هدَّمها بفيهِ وأنفهِ

لو غار هدَّمها بفيهِ وأنفهِ

طلباً لها حتى المماتِ بثارِهِ

طلباً لها حتى المماتِ بثارِهِ

If he felt jealousy, he would demolish them with his mouth and nose,

Had he been jealous he had demolished it with his mouth and nose

pursuing them until death to avenge himself.

Seeking vengeance for it until his dying day.

لكنهُ رجلٌ يبرِّجُ عِرْسَهُ

لكنهُ رجلٌ يبرِّجُ عِرْسَهُ

وبناتِه ليزدْنَ في أنصارِهِ

وبناتِه ليزدْنَ في أنصارِهِ

But he is a man who puts his wife on display,

But he is a man who decks out his wedding feast

and his daughters, so they may add to his supporters.

That his daughters may increase their partisans.