1. لو نَكُن ذا عقْلِ في الناس

    كانْ يكون عَقْلي ملَكتُوا

    Were I a man of reason among people,

    I would have mastered my mind.

  2. مُولْتي لعِبَت بأجْناس

    مَن قَوَى شيء يعْصي سِتُّوا

    My mistress has toyed with all sorts of people;

    Who could ever disobey his mistress?

  3. مَوْلَتِي سِتِي عزيزَا

    إِسْمُها أنْ تفْهمُونِي

    My mistress, my lady—Aziza

    Is her name, if you understand me.

  4. مَهْرَها نِبْلاَ ونَجيزَا

    أخرَجَتْني عن سُكونِي

    I suffer for her bride-price and pay it in full;

    She has driven me from my stillness.

  5. اعْذُرُونِي وانْظُرُوها

    وانظروها واعْذُرُونِي

    Pardon me, and look at her;

    And look at her, and pardon me.

  6. أشْعَلت قلْبي وساوِسْ

    وابْتلَتْني فابْتلِيتُوا

    Whisperings set my heart ablaze,

    And afflicted me, so I was afflicted.

  7. مولْتِي لعِبَت بأجْناس

    مَن قوَى شيْ يعْصى سِتوا

    My mistress has toyed with all sorts of people;

    Who could ever disobey his mistress?

  8. اعذُرُوني يا مقابِيل

    مُولْتي جارَت عَلَيَّا

    Pardon me, O favored ones:

    My mistress has wronged me,

  9. وسقتْني خمْر بابيلْ

    أو شَرِيباً ششتريا

    And given me Babylon's wine to drink,

    Or a Shushtari draught.

  10. لَوْ يكُون السُّم في الْكاس

    ما يكُونْ إِلاَّ شَرَبْتوا

    Were there poison in the cup,

    I would do nothing but drink it.

  11. مولتي لعِبَت بأجْناس

    مَن قوَى شَيْ يعْصى ستُّوا

    My mistress has toyed with all sorts of people;

    Who could ever disobey his mistress?

  12. لا تلُومونِي في سِتي

    كُلُّ حَد عِنْده مَتاعوا

    Do not reproach me over my mistress;

    Everyone has his own possessions.

  13. غرَضْها غرَضي وقصْدِي

    في مرَاضْها اتباعُوا

    Her wish is my wish, and my aim

    Is to follow it for her pleasure,

  14. حتى يَنْصِفْني إلهِي

    والفقيرْ على طِباعُوا

    Until my God grants me justice;

    And the poor man follows his nature.

  15. نسْتبدِل الحُلْه بِدِفاس

    ونمزِق شيْ لَبِسْتُوا

    I exchange the fine robe for coarse cloth,

    And tear up whatever I have worn.

  16. مُولْتي لعِبَت بأجْناس

    مَن قوى شيْ يعْصى ستُّوا

    My mistress has toyed with all sorts of people;

    Who could ever disobey his mistress?

  17. يا جَماعه يا جَمَاعه

    اخْلعُوا بِيعُوا الثيابُ

    O people, O people!

    Take off your clothes and sell them!

  18. هذا ه وقْتُ الخلاَعة

    الْمِلاحْ رقَصُوا وطابُوا

    This is the hour of abandon;

    The beauties danced and rejoiced.

  19. إِخْرِجوا الجاهل عنَّا

    مَن رَقَص فرَّح شبابُوا

    Send the ignorant one away from us;

    Whoever dances gladdens his youth.

  20. لَوْ نَسُق لُو المعْنى مِن ناسِ

    لم يذُقُ مِني ما قلتوا

    Were I to convey the meaning to one of the people,

    He would not taste from me what I have said.

  21. مُولْتي لعِبَت بأجْناس

    مَن قَوَى شيْ يعْصى سِتُّوا

    My mistress has toyed with all sorts of people;

    Who could ever disobey his mistress?