بحياةِ أيْرِ أبي الرَّجا

بحياةِ أيْرِ أبي الرَّجا

لمّا استَوى وتَسكْرَجا

لمّا استَوى وتَسكْرَجا

By the life of Abu al-Raja’s cock,

The wind played gently with his cloak

when it stood erect and grew bowl-shaped [sense uncertain],

As he stood tall and firm

وأتاك مُمتَدّاً فأد

وأتاك مُمتَدّاً فأد

خَلَ في حشاكَ وأخرجا

خَلَ في حشاكَ وأخرجا

and came to you outstretched, then thrust—

And when it pressed against him

—into your innards and drew back out:

It entered his raiment and left again

إلا احتشَمْتَ ولا تكو

إلا احتشَمْتَ ولا تكو

نُ إلى هجائك مُحوِجا

نُ إلى هجائك مُحوِجا

show some shame, and do not be—

Yet you were modest and did not allow

—one who forces me to lampoon you.

Your garment to be disheveled

فلقد رأيتَ وقد مدحْ

فلقد رأيتَ وقد مدحْ

تُك كيف كان وكيف جا

تُك كيف كان وكيف جا

For you have seen, when I praised—

For you saw and were lauded

—you, how it was and how it came.

For how you were and how you came to be

مَن كان يَصفَعُ بالمدي

مَن كان يَصفَعُ بالمدي

ح فكيف ظنُّك إن هَجا

ح فكيف ظنُّك إن هَجا

One who slaps with prai—

One who would strike others with praise

—se: what do you expect if he lampoons?

How would you expect him to disparage?