سَأَلتُ زَماني بِمَن أَستَغيثُ

سَأَلتُ زَماني بِمَن أَستَغيثُ

فَقالَ اِستَغِث بِعَميدِ الجُيوشِ

فَقالَ اِستَغِث بِعَميدِ الجُيوشِ

I asked my times, “To whom shall I turn for help?”

I asked my time, with whom can I seek refuge?

It said, “Seek help from the commander of the armies.”

It said, seek refuge with the supreme commander.

فَنادَيتُ مالي بِهِ حُرمَةً

فَنادَيتُ مالي بِهِ حُرمَةً

فَجاوَبَ حوشيتَ مَن ذا وَحوشي

فَجاوَبَ حوشيتَ مَن ذا وَحوشي

Then I cried, “I have no standing with him.”

I called out, what relation has he to me?

It replied, “Far be that from you—and from him!

It replied, your savagery, who else has savagery?

رَجاؤُكَ إِيّاهُ يُدنيكَ مِنهُ

رَجاؤُكَ إِيّاهُ يُدنيكَ مِنهُ

وَلَو كُنتَ بِالصينِ أَو بِالعَريشِ

وَلَو كُنتَ بِالصينِ أَو بِالعَريشِ

Your hope in him draws you close to him,

Your hope in him will bring you closer to him,

Even if you were in China or in al-ʿArīsh.”

Even if you were in China or Al-‘Arish.

نَبَت بي داري وَفَرَّ العَبي

نَبَت بي داري وَفَرَّ العَبي

دُ وَأَودَت ثِيابي وَبِعتُ فُروشي

دُ وَأَودَت ثِيابي وَبِعتُ فُروشي

My home grew inhospitable to me, and the slaves fled;

My house was destroyed and my family scattered,

And my clothes wore out, and I sold my bedding.

My clothes were torn and I sold my mattresses.

وَكُنتُ أُلَقَّبُ بِالبَبَغّاءِ

وَكُنتُ أُلَقَّبُ بِالبَبَغّاءِ

قَديماً فَقَد مَزَّقَ الدَهرُ ريشي

قَديماً فَقَد مَزَّقَ الدَهرُ ريشي

And I used to be nicknamed “the Parrot”

I used to be called the parrot,

Long ago; for Time has torn my feathers.

Yet time has ripped my feathers.

وَكانَ غِذائي نَقِيُّ الأَرُزِّ

وَكانَ غِذائي نَقِيُّ الأَرُزِّ

فَها أَنا مُقتَنِعٌ بِالحَشيشِ

فَها أَنا مُقتَنِعٌ بِالحَشيشِ

And my food was pure rice;

My food used to be the finest rice,

So here I am, content with grass.

Now I am content with grass.