فَلَمّا بِتُّ لفي السماعاتِ إلا

فَلَمّا بِتُّ لفي السماعاتِ إلا

لَقَبوني باللاّئطِ الدَّبّابِ

لَقَبوني باللاّئطِ الدَّبّابِ

So when I spent the night at the musical gatherings, they only

When I did not comply with hearing nothing

dubbed me “the sodomite prowler.”

But being called the incompetent chatterer

وَلَعمري قد كنتُ أقتَحمُ الدَّب

وَلَعمري قد كنتُ أقتَحمُ الدَّب

بَ وآلاتُهُ معي في جِرابِ

بَ وآلاتُهُ معي في جِرابِ

And by my life, I did indeed venture into stealthy creeping—

I swear I did face the blabber

and its implements were with me in a pouch:

With its tools in my bag

مثل دَرْجِ وإبرةٍ وخيوطٍ

مثل دَرْجِ وإبرةٍ وخيوطٍ

وعقيدٍ وَبَيْضةٍ وتُرابِ

وعقيدٍ وَبَيْضةٍ وتُرابِ

a scroll, a needle, and threads,

Like stairs, and needle, and threads

and thickened syrup, an egg, and dust.

And beads, and egg, and dust