قُل لِفَرخِ الزِنجِيِّ لا تَشكُ لَيثاً

قُل لِفَرخِ الزِنجِيِّ لا تَشكُ لَيثاً

وَتَعَوَّذ مِن شَرِّهِ ما اِستَطَعتا

وَتَعَوَّذ مِن شَرِّهِ ما اِستَطَعتا

Tell the Zanj man's fledgling: do not complain of a lion,

Tell the little chick of the black slave not to suspect a lion

and seek refuge from his evil as best you can.

And seek refuge from its evil as much as you can

أَنتَ خُنثى تُناكُ وَاللَيثُ فَحلٌ

أَنتَ خُنثى تُناكُ وَاللَيثُ فَحلٌ

لَو تَراهُ خَريتَ ما قَد أَكَلتا

لَو تَراهُ خَريتَ ما قَد أَكَلتا

You are a hermaphrodite who gets fucked, while the lion is a virile male.

You are an effeminate who copulates while the lion is vigorous

If you saw him, you would shit out what you had already eaten.

If you see it, you will fall down from what it has eaten

إِنَّ لَيثَ القَصباءِ لاقيكَ فَاِرجِع

إِنَّ لَيثَ القَصباءِ لاقيكَ فَاِرجِع

في حِرٍ جِئتَ مِنهُ وَاِستَأنِ سَكتا

في حِرٍ جِئتَ مِنهُ وَاِستَأنِ سَكتا

Indeed, the lion of the reed thicket will meet you, so go back

The lion of Qasbah will meet you so go back

into the cunt you came from, and wait in silence.

To the hot place you came from and wait in silence

لَو عَرَفتَ الرِئبالَ يابنَ خُلَيقٍ

لَو عَرَفتَ الرِئبالَ يابنَ خُلَيقٍ

لَتَنَصَّفتَ وَجهَهُ وَاِستَخَرتا

لَتَنَصَّفتَ وَجهَهُ وَاِستَخَرتا

If you knew the lion, O son of Khulayq,

If you knew Al-Ri’bal, O son of Khuliq

you would have humbled yourself before his face and begged his favor.

You would have lowered its intensity and walked slowly

كانَ قَد نامَ عَن أَذاكَ فَآدَي

كانَ قَد نامَ عَن أَذاكَ فَآدَي

تَ عَلى رَأسِهِ فَذُق ما صَنَعتا

تَ عَلى رَأسِهِ فَذُق ما صَنَعتا

He had been sleeping, heedless of your harm; then you raised a din

It was sleeping away from your annoying sounds

over his head; so taste what you have done.

So you came up to its head, so taste what you have done

كانَ لَقطُ النَوى أَلَذَّ وَأَشهى

كانَ لَقطُ النَوى أَلَذَّ وَأَشهى

مِن قَريضٍ يَفُتُّ رَأسَكَ فَتّا

مِن قَريضٍ يَفُتُّ رَأسَكَ فَتّا

Gathering date stones was more pleasurable and more desirable

Picking seeds was more delicious and tastier

than verse that crushes your head to pieces.

Than a poem that splits your head, so be gentle

لَم أُشَفِّع فيكَ الرِجالَ وَلَو عا

لَم أُشَفِّع فيكَ الرِجالَ وَلَو عا

شَ أَخوكَ القَوّاسُ شَفَّعتُ رَتّا

شَ أَخوكَ القَوّاسُ شَفَّعتُ رَتّا

I did not accept men's intercession for you; and had he lived—

I did not intercede for you, not even if your brother the archer interceded, I would have interceded a little

your brother the bow-maker—I would have accepted a swine's intercession.

For the black women, in whoever prays

لِنِساءِ الزِنجِيِّ فيمَن يُصَلّي

لِنِساءِ الزِنجِيِّ فيمَن يُصَلّي

صَدَقاتٌ فَضَحنَ بِنتاً وَأُختا

صَدَقاتٌ فَضَحنَ بِنتاً وَأُختا

The Zanj man's women have, among those who pray,

There are charities, so they missed a daughter and a sister

alms that have disgraced a daughter and a sister.

And on your pockmarked face, there is a mark

وَعَلى وَجهِكَ المُحَتَّتِ سيما

وَعَلى وَجهِكَ المُحَتَّتِ سيما

خَبَّرَتنا عَن اِستِهِ خَبُثَ اِستا

خَبَّرَتنا عَن اِستِهِ خَبُثَ اِستا

And on your pockmarked face is a mark

That told us about the vileness of your character

that told us about his arse—what a foul arse!