وَمَملوكَةٍ عِندي حَديثٌ نِتاجُها

وَمَملوكَةٍ عِندي حَديثٌ نِتاجُها

أَتَتني بِمَولودٍ وَما بَلَغَت شَهرا

أَتَتني بِمَولودٍ وَما بَلَغَت شَهرا

And a bondwoman of mine, whose birth is recent,

A slave girl I have, her story

Came to me with a newborn before she was a month old.

Brought me a newborn, before a month passed,

عَلى أَنَّها بِكرٌ حَصانٌ وَعالِقٌ

عَلى أَنَّها بِكرٌ حَصانٌ وَعالِقٌ

وَهذا لَعَمري مُشكلٌ يُتعبُ الفِكرا

وَهذا لَعَمري مُشكلٌ يُتعبُ الفِكرا

Though she is a virgin, chaste, and pregnant.

Though a maiden, a filly, untouched,

And this, by my life, is a puzzle that taxes the mind.

This is strange, it tires my mind,

وَقَد وَلَدَتها أُمُّها وَهيَ حامِلٌ

وَقَد وَلَدَتها أُمُّها وَهيَ حامِلٌ

فَيا عَجباً إِنّي أَرى أَمرُها نُكرا

فَيا عَجباً إِنّي أَرى أَمرُها نُكرا

And she was pregnant when her mother bore her.

Her mother birthed her while pregnant,

So, what a marvel! Indeed, I find her case strange.

How odd, her matter seems obscure,

وَمُذ نَبَذَتها أُمُّها حَفِيَت بِها

وَمُذ نَبَذَتها أُمُّها حَفِيَت بِها

حُنُواً وَضَمَّتها إِلى جَنبِها أُخرى

حُنُواً وَضَمَّتها إِلى جَنبِها أُخرى

And when her mother cast her off, she was cared for,

Since her mother discarded her, I took her in,

Tenderly, and another clasped her to her side.

Held her close, next to my chest,

وَفي جَمعِها نقصٌ وَتَصحيفُ عكسه

وَفي جَمعِها نقصٌ وَتَصحيفُ عكسه

يَكونُ لَهُ صيتٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُ ذِكرى

يَكونُ لَهُ صيتٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُ ذِكرى

And her plural is shorter; its reverse, with altered dots,

In her gathering is a lack, and distortion the opposite,

Will have renown, but no remembrance.

It will have fame, but no memory.