ودَيْرٍ أنَخْنا في قَرارتِهِ العِيسا

ودَيْرٍ أنَخْنا في قَرارتِهِ العِيسا

بحِلّةِ رُهْبانٍ إلاهُهُمُ عِيسا

بحِلّةِ رُهْبانٍ إلاهُهُمُ عِيسا

And at a monastery, we made the pale camels kneel in its grounds,

In a monastery we resided, where Jesus

Amid a settlement of monks whose god is Jesus,

Was worshipped by monks in robes.

عُكوفٍ علَى التِّمْثالِ يستَلِمونَهُ

عُكوفٍ علَى التِّمْثالِ يستَلِمونَهُ

ويُعْنَوْنَ بالإنْجيلِ حِفْظاً وتَدْريسا

ويُعْنَوْنَ بالإنْجيلِ حِفْظاً وتَدْريسا

Devoted to the statue, touching it reverently,

Bent over the icon they receive it

And attending to the Gospel, memorizing and teaching it.

And recite the Bible by heart and instruction.

زَعَقْنا بهِمْ بعْدَ العَشيِّ فهَيْنَموا

زَعَقْنا بهِمْ بعْدَ العَشيِّ فهَيْنَموا

كأنّا ذَعَرْنا غابَة منْهُ أو خيسا

كأنّا ذَعَرْنا غابَة منْهُ أو خيسا

We shouted to them after dusk, and they murmured,

We screamed at them after supper, so they slept

As though we had startled a forest or a thicket within it.

As if we had scared off a forest or soldiers.

وقُلْنا بَنو سُبْلٍ جَوانِحُ للقِرَى

وقُلْنا بَنو سُبْلٍ جَوانِحُ للقِرَى

فقالَ زَعيمُ القوْمِ رحْباً وتأنيسا

فقالَ زَعيمُ القوْمِ رحْباً وتأنيسا

And we said, 'We are sons of the road, yearning for hospitality.'

We said, “O people of the road, hearts for the villages!”

Then the leader of the company said, 'Welcome, and be at ease.'

The leader of the group kindly replied.

فقُلْنا هَواءُ الشّامِ غالَ نُفوسَنا

فقُلْنا هَواءُ الشّامِ غالَ نُفوسَنا

فهَلْ لكَ في شيءٍ يُنَفِّسُ تَنْفِيسا

فهَلْ لكَ في شيءٍ يُنَفِّسُ تَنْفِيسا

Then we said, 'The air of al-Sham has laid our souls low;

We said, “The air of Syria has excited our souls,

So, would you offer something that brings true relief?'

Is there anything that can relax and unwind us?”

فقال أخَمْرٌ وهْيَ شيْءٌ محرَّمٌ

فقال أخَمْرٌ وهْيَ شيْءٌ محرَّمٌ

علَيْكُمْ لبِئْسَ المسْلِمونَ إذَنْ بِيسا

علَيْكُمْ لبِئْسَ المسْلِمونَ إذَنْ بِيسا

Then he said, 'Wine? Yet it is something forbidden

He said, “Wine, but it is forbidden to you.

To you—what truly wretched Muslims you are, then!'

How wretched are the Muslims! So no booze.”

فقُلْنا دعِ الإنْكارَ إنّا عِصابَةٌ

فقُلْنا دعِ الإنْكارَ إنّا عِصابَةٌ

يُطيعُونَ فيما تشْتَهي النّفْسُ إبْلِيسا

يُطيعُونَ فيما تشْتَهي النّفْسُ إبْلِيسا

Then we said, 'Leave off reproach; we are a band

We said, “Forget the denial, we are a gang

Who obey Iblis in whatever the soul desires.'

Who obey whatever the soul desires, including Satan.”

فقامَ يجُرُّ المِسْحَ ثمّ أتَى بِها

فقامَ يجُرُّ المِسْحَ ثمّ أتَى بِها

فأبْصَرْتُ كيواناً تَناوَلَ برْجِيسا

فأبْصَرْتُ كيواناً تَناوَلَ برْجِيسا

So he rose, dragging his haircloth robe, then brought it.

So he got up, performed ablution, then brought it.

Then I saw Saturn take hold of Jupiter.

I saw an ape take a cup of wine.

وصارَفْتُهُ فِيها لُجَيْناً بعَسْجَدٍ

وصارَفْتُهُ فِيها لُجَيْناً بعَسْجَدٍ

فناوَلَني كأساً وناولْتُهُ كِيسا

فناوَلَني كأساً وناولْتُهُ كِيسا

And I bartered with him for it: silver for gold.

I passed it around in the cups of my companions,

So he handed me a cup, and I handed him a purse.

He handed me a cup and I handed him a bag of coins.

وللهِّ منْ عيْشٍ نَعِمْنا بلَهْوِهِ

وللهِّ منْ عيْشٍ نَعِمْنا بلَهْوِهِ

حمِدْنا بهِ منّا مَقيلا وتعْريسا

حمِدْنا بهِ منّا مَقيلا وتعْريسا

And, by God, what a life we enjoyed in its revelry!

By God, what a life we delighted in its pleasures!

We praised our midday rest and our night halt there.

We thanked it with prostrations and celebrations.