لَحَا اللهُ التَّجَارَةَ كَلَّفَتنَا

لَحَا اللهُ التَّجَارَةَ كَلَّفَتنَا

بإِدمَانِ المَسِيرِ إِلى نَجِيرِ

بإِدمَانِ المَسِيرِ إِلى نَجِيرِ

May God curse trade: it has burdened us

Trade has burdened us

With constant journeys to Najir,

With constant travel to Najir

وإظهَارِ الودَادِ لَهُ عَلَى مَا

وإظهَارِ الودَادِ لَهُ عَلَى مَا

أجَىَّ مِنَ الخَبَائِثِ في الضَّمِيرِ

أجَىَّ مِنَ الخَبَائِثِ في الضَّمِيرِ

And with showing him affection, despite what

And showing affection to him though

He has harbored of wickedness in his heart.

He harbors evil in his conscience

نُوَافِيهِ فَليَقَانَا بِوَجهٍ

نُوَافِيهِ فَليَقَانَا بِوَجهٍ

عَبُوسٍ مُشمَئِزٍّ قَمطَرِيرِ

عَبُوسٍ مُشمَئِزٍّ قَمطَرِيرِ

We come to him, and he meets us with a face

When we meet him, he greets us with a

Scowling, disgusted, fiercely grim.

Frowning, disgusted, bitter face

عَلَيهِ مِنَ المَذَلَّةِ سَابِغَاتٌ

عَلَيهِ مِنَ المَذَلَّةِ سَابِغَاتٌ

تُجَرَّرُ في المُقَامِ وفي المَسِيرِ

تُجَرَّرُ في المُقَامِ وفي المَسِيرِ

Upon him hang full-length robes of humiliation,

He is steeped in humiliation

Dragged along when he stays and when he travels.

Dragging in stance and gait

فَيُؤذِينا بِمَنظَرِهِ ابتِداءً

فَيُؤذِينا بِمَنظَرِهِ ابتِداءً

وَيُؤذِينا بِمَنطِقِهِ المَريرِ

وَيُؤذِينا بِمَنطِقِهِ المَريرِ

So he first offends us with his appearance,

His appearance hurts us at first

And offends us with his bitter speech.

And his bitter speech wounds us too

ومَهمَا فَاهَ فَاحَ النَّتنُ حتى

ومَهمَا فَاهَ فَاحَ النَّتنُ حتى

كَأنَّا عِندَ حَاشِيَةِ السَّعِيرِ

كَأنَّا عِندَ حَاشِيَةِ السَّعِيرِ

And whenever he speaks, the stench spreads, until

And whenever he opens his mouth

We seem to be at the edge of the blazing fire.

It's as if we're at the edge of hell

وإن قُلنَا حَوَائِجَنَا تَصَدَّى

وإن قُلنَا حَوَائِجَنَا تَصَدَّى

إِلَى سَعلاَءَ دَائِمَةِ الهَرِيرِ

إِلَى سَعلاَءَ دَائِمَةِ الهَرِيرِ

And if we tell him our needs, he turns

If we state our needs, he turns

To a she-ghoul, forever snarling.

To endless, screeching obstinacy

تَجَلَّلَتِ المَخَازِىَ والمَسَاوي

تَجَلَّلَتِ المَخَازِىَ والمَسَاوي

وَجَنَّبَتِ التَّرَدِّىَ بالحَرِيرِ

وَجَنَّبَتِ التَّرَدِّىَ بالحَرِيرِ

She has cloaked herself in disgraces and vices,

Honor and dignity are shunned

And avoided draping herself in silk.

And impropriety embraced in silk

فَقُبِّحَ وَوجَهُهَا مِن مُستَشَارِ

فَقُبِّحَ وَوجَهُهَا مِن مُستَشَارِ

وقًُبَّحَ وَجهُهُ مِن مُستَشِيرِ

وقًُبَّحَ وَجهُهُ مِن مُستَشِيرِ

And so, cursed be her face as an adviser,

Cursed is the face of the advisor

And cursed be his face as a seeker of advice.

And cursed is the face of the seeker

يُحَاوِلُ أَن تُشِيرَ لَهُ بِرَأيٍِ

يُحَاوِلُ أَن تُشِيرَ لَهُ بِرَأيٍِ

يُجَنِّبُ كُلَّ مَكرُمَةٍ وخِيرِ

يُجَنِّبُ كُلَّ مَكرُمَةٍ وخِيرِ

He seeks to have her offer him an opinion

Who tries to suggest to him

That keeps him from every noble deed and all good,

A way to avoid all good and honor

فَتَحمِلَهُ عَلَآ رَأىٍ حَقِيرٍ

فَتَحمِلَهُ عَلَآ رَأىٍ حَقِيرٍ

وكَم حُمِلَ النَّظِيرُ عَلَى النَّظِيرِ

وكَم حُمِلَ النَّظِيرُ عَلَى النَّظِيرِ

So she leads him to a contemptible view—

And so he is led to a contemptible view

And how often has like been carried upon like!

And how often has the like been led to the like