أَستَقبِحُ الظاهِرَ مِن صاحِبي

أَستَقبِحُ الظاهِرَ مِن صاحِبي

وَما يُواري صَدرُهُ أَقبَحُ

وَما يُواري صَدرُهُ أَقبَحُ

I find my companion’s outward appearance ugly,

I loathe the outward behavior of my companion

And what his breast conceals is uglier.

And what his chest conceals is even uglier

سُبِبتَ بِالكَلبِ فَأَنكَرتَهُ

سُبِبتَ بِالكَلبِ فَأَنكَرتَهُ

وَالكَلبُ خَيرٌ مِنكَ إِذ يَنبَحُ

وَالكَلبُ خَيرٌ مِنكَ إِذ يَنبَحُ

You were called a dog as an insult, and resented it,

You accused the dog so you denied it

Yet the dog is better than you when it barks.

Yet the dog is better than you when it barks

صَلّى الفَتى الجُمعَةَ ثُمَّ اِنثَنى

صَلّى الفَتى الجُمعَةَ ثُمَّ اِنثَنى

لِذِراعٍ في مِسحِهِ يَذبَحُ

لِذِراعٍ في مِسحِهِ يَذبَحُ

The young man offered the Friday prayer, then turned

The young man prayed Friday then turned away

To slaughter for a foreleg, wearing his sackcloth robe.

To slaughter an arm in its wiping he butchers

يُعطى بِهِ التاجِرُ أَرباحَهُ

يُعطى بِهِ التاجِرُ أَرباحَهُ

وَتاجِرُ الخُسرانِ لا يَربَحُ

وَتاجِرُ الخُسرانِ لا يَربَحُ

Through it the merchant receives his profits,

With it the merchant earns his profits

But the merchant of loss makes no profit.

While the losing trader does not profit

فَلَيتَني عِشتُ بِداوِيَّةٍ

فَلَيتَني عِشتُ بِداوِيَّةٍ

حَرباؤُها في عودِهِ يَشبَحُ

حَرباؤُها في عودِهِ يَشبَحُ

So would that I lived in a wilderness,

I wish I lived in a small village

Whose chameleon stretches its limbs upon its branch.

Whose healer in his stick bites and gnaws

يَصدى بِها الرَكبُ وَأَعلامُها

يَصدى بِها الرَكبُ وَأَعلامُها

كَأَنَّها في آلِها تَسبَحُ

كَأَنَّها في آلِها تَسبَحُ

The caravan thirsts there, and its mountains

Where caravans echo and their flags

Seem to swim in its mirage.

Seem to glorify God in their clanging

أَو بِتُّ في صَهوَةَ مُستَوطِناً

أَو بِتُّ في صَهوَةَ مُستَوطِناً

أُمسي مَعَ الأَغفارِ أَو أُصبَحُ

أُمسي مَعَ الأَغفارِ أَو أُصبَحُ

Or spent the night in Sahwah, making it my home,

Or I dwell in a wilderness settling

Passing evening or morning among young wild goats.

Spending evenings with beasts or dawns

وَالنَفسُ كَالجامِحِ فَلِيَثنِها

وَالنَفسُ كَالجامِحِ فَلِيَثنِها

لُبٌّ أَوابي لُجمِهِ تُكبَحُ

لُبٌّ أَوابي لُجمِهِ تُكبَحُ

And the soul is like a bolting steed, so let it be restrained

As the soul is like an unruly camel, so tame it

By reason: those resisting its bridles are reined in.

With a tender heart or strong reins subdue it