هُو بغَّاءٌ وعرسه بغَّاءَه

هُو بغَّاءٌ وعرسه بغَّاءَه

ولها بعد ذا عليهِ الوِلايْه

ولها بعد ذا عليهِ الوِلايْه

He is a whoremonger, and his wife a whore.

He is a lecher, and his wedding a lechery,

And after all that, she holds authority over him.

And after this she has authority over him.

كم له ابْنٌ منها أَبُوه سواه

كم له ابْنٌ منها أَبُوه سواه

وهْو منها بهم أَشدُّ عِنايه

وهْو منها بهم أَشدُّ عِنايه

How many sons he has by her whose father is someone else!

How many a son of his, his father unknown,

Yet he cares for them more than she does.

Yet he tends them with utmost care.

شابَ رأْساً وانهدَّ عجزاً فخالتـ

شابَ رأْساً وانهدَّ عجزاً فخالتـ

ـه عجوزاً فصيَّرت منه دايه

ـه عجوزاً فصيَّرت منه دايه

His head turned gray and his rump sagged, so she took—

He was young and sturdy, now feeble and bent,

—him for an old woman and made a midwife of him.

Made an old woman of him, a nanny goat.

لا تَسْلني عنه فإِني أَرعا

لا تَسْلني عنه فإِني أَرعا

ه صديقي ويَسْتَحِقُّ الرِّعَايه

ه صديقي ويَسْتَحِقُّ الرِّعَايه

Do not ask me about him, for I care for—

Ask me not of him, he is a friend I guard

—him, my friend, and he deserves care.

And deserves my watchful care.

أَنا لولا الحياءُ قُلتُ مجازيـ

أَنا لولا الحياءُ قُلتُ مجازيـ

ـه ولكِنْ فيما أَقولُ كفايه

ـه ولكِنْ فيما أَقولُ كفايه

But for modesty, I would speak, repaying—

But for propriety I'd tell his match,

—him in kind; but what I say is enough.

Yet my words here suffice, I dare.