إِذاwhen تَخازَرتُI feign a squint وَماand no بيin me مِنany خَزَرsquint
إِذا تَخازَرتُ وَما بي مِن خَزَر
ثُمَّthen كَسَرتُI half-close العَينَthe eye مِنfrom غَيرِother than عَوَرblindness in one eye
ثُمَّ كَسَرتُ العَينَ مِن غَيرِ عَوَر
When I feign a squint, though no squint afflicts me,
When I banter but have no real jest,
Then I half-close my eye, though neither eye is blind,
Then break the peace without cause or test,
أَلفَيتَنيyou find me أَلوىobstinate in dispute بَعيدَfar المُستَتَرwhat is concealed
أَلفَيتَني أَلوى بَعيدَ المُستَتَر
أَحمِلُI bear ماwhatever حُمِّلتُI was made to bear مِنof خَيرٍgood وَشَرand evil
أَحمِلُ ما حُمِّلتُ مِن خَيرٍ وَشَر
You find me obstinate, my secrets far out of reach;
You'll find me writhing, nothing to attest,
I bear whatever I am made to bear, of good and evil,
I bear what burdens were on me pressed,
كَالحَيَّةِlike the snake الصَمّاءِdeaf فيin أَصلِthe base of الحَجَرthe rock
كَالحَيَّةِ الصَمّاءِ في أَصلِ الحَجَر
ذاpossessing صَولَةٍfierce attacking power فيamid المُصمَئِلّاتِdire calamities الكِبَرgreat
ذا صَولَةٍ في المُصمَئِلّاتِ الكِبَر
Like the deaf snake at the base of a rock,
Like deaf adder in cleft at behest,
Fierce in attack amid mighty calamities,
With prowess in great perils expressed,
أَنزىquicker to leap إِذاwhen نوديتُI am called مِنthan كَلبٍa dog ذَكرmale
أَنزى إِذا نوديتُ مِن كَلبٍ ذَكر
أَكدرَdusky شَغّارٍoften lifting a leg to urinate تَعدّىset out فيin السَحَرthe time before dawn
أَكدرَ شَغّارٍ تَعدّى في السَحَر
Quicker to spring when called than a male dog,
Most chaste when by some dog addressed,
Dusky, often lifting his leg, setting out before dawn.
I roil a loquacious lout at best.