إذا تغني سليمٌ

إذا تغني سليمٌ

عاق المسرة عني

عاق المسرة عني

Whenever Salim sings,

When Salim sang his song

he keeps joy away from me.

It brought me no joy,

وافى بذقن سخيف ال

وافى بذقن سخيف ال

مغني وجئت ببطني

مغني وجئت ببطني

With a paltry chin comes the

Just an irritating beard

singer, and I come with my belly.

Of a talentless boy.

فلحية التيس منه

فلحية التيس منه

وسلحة الفيل سني

وسلحة الفيل سني

So the billy goat's beard comes from him,

With a billy-goat's scruff

and the elephant's dung [from me?—the final word is unclear].

And an elephant's tusk