لَم يَكُن لي عُرشٌ فَيُثلَمَ عَرشي

لَم يَكُن لي عُرشٌ فَيُثلَمَ عَرشي

كَم جُروحٍ جُرِحتُها ذاتِ أَرشِ

كَم جُروحٍ جُرِحتُها ذاتِ أَرشِ

I had no throne for my throne to be damaged.

I had no throne for it to be stained, my throne

How many wounds I have suffered that call for compensation!

How many wounds have I been wounded, O she of the shelter

مَقنِعي في الزَمانِ سَتري وَدَفني

مَقنِعي في الزَمانِ سَتري وَدَفني

مِن لِباسٍ راقَ العُيونَ وَفَرشِ

مِن لِباسٍ راقَ العُيونَ وَفَرشِ

My covering and burial are all I need in this life,

My veil in time is my concealment, and it buried me

instead of clothes that delight the eyes and bedding.

In clothes too delicate for glances and cushions

قَد شَرِبتُ المِياهَ بِالخَزَفِ الوَخ

قَد شَرِبتُ المِياهَ بِالخَزَفِ الوَخ

شِ غَنيٌّ عَن مُحكَماتٍ بِجَرشِ

شِ غَنيٌّ عَن مُحكَماتٍ بِجَرشِ

I have drunk water from earthenware of poor

I have drunk water from cracked jugs

quality, needing no finely made vessels from Jerash.

Wealthy without harsh judgments and green carpets

وَتَغَنَّيتُ في الأَمورِ فَنابَت

وَتَغَنَّيتُ في الأَمورِ فَنابَت

قَدَمي عَن رُكوبِ دُهمٍ وَبُرشِ

قَدَمي عَن رُكوبِ دُهمٍ وَبُرشِ

And I made do in my affairs, thus substituting

And I have indulged in matters, so my feet turned

my foot for riding black and speckled horses.

From riding beasts and saddlebags

أُمَّ دَفرٍ إِنّي هَويتُكِ جِدّاً

أُمَّ دَفرٍ إِنّي هَويتُكِ جِدّاً

أَيُّ ضَبٍّ تَرَكتِ مِن غَيرِ حَرشِ

أَيُّ ضَبٍّ تَرَكتِ مِن غَيرِ حَرشِ

O Umm Dafr—Mother of Stench—I have loved you dearly.

O mother of Dafar, truly I have loved you so

What spiny-tailed lizard have you left unhunted?

What mountain goat have you left without a herd?

خَفَّفي الهَمزَ في النوائِبِ عَنّي

خَفَّفي الهَمزَ في النوائِبِ عَنّي

وَاِحمِليني عَلى قِراءَةِ وَرشِ

وَاِحمِليني عَلى قِراءَةِ وَرشِ

Ease your prodding of me amid calamities,

Lighten the glottal stops for me in tribulations

and carry me according to Warsh's recitation.

And make me recite the readings of Warsh