مِمّا ينغّصُني في أَرضِ أَندَلُسٍ

مِمّا ينغّصُني في أَرضِ أَندَلُسٍ

سَماعُ مُعتَصِمٍ فيها وَمُعتَضِدِ

سَماعُ مُعتَصِمٍ فيها وَمُعتَضِدِ

What embitters me in the land of al-Andalus

Among what vexes me in the land of al-Andalus

What truly vexes me in the land of Andalusia,

is hearing there of a Muʿtaṣim and a Muʿtaḍid—

Is hearing of Muʿtaṣim there and Muʿtaḍid:

Is hearing of a 'Mu'tasim' there, and a 'Mu'tadid';

أَسماءُ مَملَكَةٍ في غَيرِ مَوضِعِها

أَسماءُ مَملَكَةٍ في غَيرِ مَوضِعِها

كَالهِرِّ يَحكي اِنتِفاخاً صَولَةَ الأَسَدِ

كَالهِرِّ يَحكي اِنتِفاخاً صَولَةَ الأَسَدِ

names of sovereignty set where they do not belong,

Royal titles where they do not belong,

Royal titles appearing where they have no place,

like a cat that, puffing itself up, mimics the lion’s charge.

Like a cat puffing itself up to mimic a lion’s charge.

Like a cat that puffs up to mimic the lion's might.