شَعَراتٌ قَد رُكّبت في نِصابٍ

شَعَراتٌ قَد رُكّبت في نِصابٍ

هُنَّ سَوطُ العَذابِ فَوقَ الذُبابِ

هُنَّ سَوطُ العَذابِ فَوقَ الذُبابِ

Strands of hair have been fitted into a handle;

Strands that were installed in a watering trough

They are the whip of torment over the flies.

They are the whip of torment above the flies

وَلِذاكَ النِصابِ صَورَةُ كَفٍّ

وَلِذاكَ النِصابِ صَورَةُ كَفٍّ

وُضِعَت مِنهُ مَوضِعَ الأَذنابِ

وُضِعَت مِنهُ مَوضِعَ الأَذنابِ

And that handle bears the shape of a hand,

And for that watering trough, the shape of a palm

Set at its tail end.

Put in place of tails

ذاتَ رِفقٍ بِحَكِّ جِلديَ تُهدي

ذاتَ رِفقٍ بِحَكِّ جِلديَ تُهدي

راحَةً مِن أَذىً بِلا إِتعابِ

راحَةً مِن أَذىً بِلا إِتعابِ

Gentle in scratching my skin, it offers

With gentle stroking of my skin it gives

Relief from discomfort without causing fatigue.

Comfort from harm without exhaustion

يا لَها مِن مِذبَّةِ زينِ كَفٍّ

يا لَها مِن مِذبَّةِ زينِ كَفٍّ

جَمَعَت بَينَ راحَةٍ وَعَذابِ

جَمَعَت بَينَ راحَةٍ وَعَذابِ

What a fly-whisk, an adornment for the hand,

Oh what an affliction of the beauty of a palm

Bringing together comfort and torment!

That combines both comfort and torment