ومُخَنَّثٍ شَهِدَ الزفافَ وقَبْلَهُ

ومُخَنَّثٍ شَهِدَ الزفافَ وقَبْلَهُ

غَنَّى الجواري حاسِراً ومُنَقِّبا

غَنَّى الجواري حاسِراً ومُنَقِّبا

And an effeminate man attended the wedding, and before it

And an effeminate man attended the wedding

Sang for the maidens, bareheaded and veiled.

Before it, the maids sang veiled and cloaked

لبسَ الدلالَ وقامَ يَنْقُرُ دَفَّهُ

لبسَ الدلالَ وقامَ يَنْقُرُ دَفَّهُ

نَقْراً أقَرَّ به العيونَ فأطْرَبا

نَقْراً أقَرَّ به العيونَ فأطْرَبا

He donned coquetry and rose to tap his tambourine,

He wore the broker's robe and stood tapping his tambourine

With taps that gladdened the eyes and stirred delight.

Tapping that delighted eyes, so they danced

إنَّ الجواري رأَيْنَه فَعَشِقْنَهُ

إنَّ الجواري رأَيْنَه فَعَشِقْنَهُ

فَشَكَونَ شِدَّةَ ما بِهِنَّ فَأَكْذبا

فَشَكَونَ شِدَّةَ ما بِهِنَّ فَأَكْذبا

Indeed, the maidens saw him and fell in love with him,

Seeing him, the maids fell in love

So they complained of the intensity of what they felt, and he called them liars.

Complaining of their terrible passion, but he lied