ومُعنِّفٍ لي قال مَهْ

ومُعنِّفٍ لي قال مَهْ

كمْ ذا البكاءُ عَلى أَمَه

كمْ ذا البكاءُ عَلى أَمَه

And one who rebuked me said, “Enough!

A man who was harsh to me said,

How long this weeping over a slave girl?”

Why do you weep for your mother so?

فأَجبتُه ما بي كما

فأَجبتُه ما بي كما

بِك من عَمىً أَو مِنْ عَمَهْ

بِك من عَمىً أَو مِنْ عَمَهْ

So I answered him: “I do not suffer, as

I answered him, There is nothing wrong with me,

you do, from blindness or bewilderment.

Nor am I blind or ignorant.

هِي حُرَّةٌ حاشا لأُمِّـ

هِي حُرَّةٌ حاشا لأُمِّـ

ـك إِنْ فطِنْت ومُسْلِمَه

ـك إِنْ فطِنْت ومُسْلِمَه

She is a free woman—unlike that mother

She is a free woman, far from being

of yours, if you understand—and a Muslim.”

Your mother, if you understand, O Muslim.