قَد مَرَرنا بِزَحوَلٍ يَومَ دَجنٍ

قَد مَرَرنا بِزَحوَلٍ يَومَ دَجنٍ

فَأَتانا يعَدلِ فَحمٍ تُغَنّى

فَأَتانا يعَدلِ فَحمٍ تُغَنّى

We passed by Zahwal on an overcast day.

We once passed by a humpback on a gloomy day

Then there came to us, charcoal’s equal, singing—

Then came to us one like a pregnant camel singing

خُنفَساءٌ أَعمَت مِنَ القُبحِ عَيني

خُنفَساءٌ أَعمَت مِنَ القُبحِ عَيني

وَأَصَمَّت بِسَيِّئِ القَولِ أُذني

وَأَصَمَّت بِسَيِّئِ القَولِ أُذني

A beetle whose ugliness blinded my eye

An ugly bleary-eyed woman who blinded my eyes

And whose vile speech deafened my ear.

And deafened my ears with her foul words

لَستُ أَدري إِذا أَشارَت بِصَوتٍ

لَستُ أَدري إِذا أَشارَت بِصَوتٍ

أَتُغَنّي جَليسَها أَم تُزَنّي

أَتُغَنّي جَليسَها أَم تُزَنّي

I do not know, when she gives voice,

I know not when she squealed

Whether she sings to her companion or calls him a fornicator.

If she was serenading her companion or wailing