يا خل ما أجملك

يا خل ما أجملك

مالك نظير في الملاح

مالك نظير في الملاح

O beloved, how beautiful you are!

Oh vinegar, how beautiful you are

You have no equal among the fair.

You have no equal in cooking

يا قد ما أطولك

يا قد ما أطولك

أخزيت سمر الرماح

أخزيت سمر الرماح

O stature, how tall you are!

Oh how tall you are

You have shamed the tawny spears.

You have shamed the spears of warriors

أو الهبل عدلك

أو الهبل عدلك

على مهب الرياح

على مهب الرياح

Or is the habal your equal

Or the madness of winds

where the winds blow?

Blowing in the desert

السمر يركعن لك

السمر يركعن لك

ومن رناك السفاح

ومن رناك السفاح

The tawny spears bow to you,

The dark-skinned girls bow down to you

and your gaze brings slaughter.

And the butcher sings your praises

لك في السويدا مقر لكن

لك في السويدا مقر لكن

سمعت السحر أرخى عليك الذفر

سمعت السحر أرخى عليك الذفر

You have a dwelling in the heart's core, but

You have a place in every kitchen

I heard that magic let its pungent scent descend upon you.

But I have heard magic has been cast on you

من في الحلا جعدلك

من في الحلا جعدلك

وذر سكر وراح

وذر سكر وراح

Who curled your hair in beauty,

Who has curled your straight hair

and sprinkled sugar and wine,

And added sugar and rest to you

وبالدعج كحلك

وبالدعج كحلك

ودهنك في الصباح

ودهنك في الصباح

and lined your eyes with deep blackness,

With yeast they have lined your eyes

and anointed you in the morning?

And scented you in the morning

ولو أحد يسدلك

ولو أحد يسدلك

بالكرت ما قلت آخ

بالكرت ما قلت آخ

Even if someone thrust at you

If anyone tries to cover you

with the kart, you would not say 'Ow.'

With a lid, you won't stay quiet

شادن شرد من شبام

شادن شرد من شبام

زارط وشارب غلام

زارط وشارب غلام

A young gazelle, fled from Shibam—

A young lost man far from his beloved homeland

a gluttonous, drinking lad.

Visiting and drinking liquor

ما يفتهم له كلام

ما يفتهم له كلام

في جلسته يزبلك

في جلسته يزبلك

Not a word of his can be understood.

Doesn't understand what is said

In his company, he heaps abuse on you.

As he ruins you in his gathering

تشتى تقل له تحاح

تشتى تقل له تحاح

وبا الصفاد يقتلك

وبا الصفاد يقتلك

You want to tell him, 'Tahaah!'

You quietly say to him "Stop!"

And he kills you with fetters.

But drunk, he kills you

عليه بالاحذى رداح

عليه بالاحذى رداح

واصل محبك بحين

واصل محبك بحين

Lay into him hard with shoes!

With his shoe in anger

Come to your lover for a while,

Oh lover of your people in hardship

فجور لله أبوك

فجور لله أبوك

على اللقا يا رزين

على اللقا يا رزين

you libertine—God bless your father!

Return to God, your father

For a tryst, O solemn one,

In our meeting, oh beautiful one

ساعه وبعدا نبوك

ساعه وبعدا نبوك

يا من خدوده جحين

يا من خدوده جحين

an hour; afterward we'll copulate.

An hour, then we will call you

O you whose cheeks are two melons,

Oh you with cheeks like rose petals

قل لي لمن حجبوك

قل لي لمن حجبوك

ما أطعم العنبرود

ما أطعم العنبرود

tell me, for whom have they hidden you?

Tell me for whom has your face been veiled

How tasty the pear is

The bees do not eat grapes

في ظل دوحه برود

في ظل دوحه برود

ومطبخيه هندود

ومطبخيه هندود

in a spreading tree's cool shade!

In the shade of its cold vines

And a cooked dish of hindud—

And Indian cooks

تفعل خويض لي ولك

تفعل خويض لي ولك

وندقعه قاح بقاح

وندقعه قاح بقاح

you make a little mixture for me and you,

Do not make a sauce for me and you

and we'll pound it, qah against qah.

Let us come and make you

جى عندنا نجعلك

جى عندنا نجعلك

حاكم وندعى صلاح

حاكم وندعى صلاح

Come to us; we'll make you

A ruler, and call you righteous

a ruler, and we'll claim righteousness.

So listen to these words

فانصت لهذا الكلام

فانصت لهذا الكلام

فهو مروحن شراح

فهو مروحن شراح

So listen to these words,

They will soothe your burning pain

for they refresh the spirit and bring cheer.