عناء القلب من سلمى عناء

عناء القلب من سلمى عناء

وما أبداً له منها عزاء

وما أبداً له منها عزاء

The heart's anguish over Salma is anguish indeed.

The heart's toil for Salma is toilsome indeed,

And never does it have solace from her.

And from her it shall receive no solace.

تكلفني هواها النفس جهلا

تكلفني هواها النفس جهلا

وخير نصيبها منها الرجاء

وخير نصيبها منها الرجاء

My soul ignorantly burdens me with love for her.

My soul compelled me to love her foolishly,

And the best it gains from her is hope.

Though hope is the best it can expect from her.

رقيقة مرشف المسواك فيها

رقيقة مرشف المسواك فيها

مع الدل الملاحة والبهاء

مع الدل الملاحة والبهاء

Her lips are delicate where the tooth-stick touches; in her

Delicate, yet austere like a toothstick,

Are beauty and splendor, together with coquettish charm.

With a wit as sharp as her radiance.

غذاها عيش مرغدة وشيب

غذاها عيش مرغدة وشيب

تمدحها وتعسفها النساء

تمدحها وتعسفها النساء

A life of pampered ease and gray-haired folk nourished her.

Her food is a lavish life and gray hairs,

The women praise her and treat her harshly.

Women praise and coerce her excessively.

نطببها له بصدود عمرو

نطببها له بصدود عمرو

فأعيانا التطبب والدواء

فأعيانا التطبب والدواء

We try to heal her for him with Amr's rejection.

We mend her ties with the clans of Amr,

So treatment and medicine left us helpless.

Yet mending and cures have failed us.

وشر جزاء ذي نعمى نجرنا

وشر جزاء ذي نعمى نجرنا

بنو عمرو إذا احتمل الجزاء

بنو عمرو إذا احتمل الجزاء

And with the worst repayment to a benefactor, we were struck

Evil is the reward of one we obliged,

By the sons of Amr, when repayment was borne.

The clan of Amr, when bearing that reward.

منعناهم بني سعد وعمرو

منعناهم بني سعد وعمرو

عبيد عصاً لسعد أو إماء

عبيد عصاً لسعد أو إماء

We shielded them from the sons of Sa'd, while Amr

We denied them, the clan of Sa’d and Amr,

Are Sa'd's slaves of the rod—or bondwomen.

Mere slaves, a cane for Sa’d or handmaids.