سَرَينا إِلى المَلِكِ الدُوفِنِييِّ

سَرَينا إِلى المَلِكِ الدُوفِنِييِّ

وَلَكِنَّنا ما حَمَدنا السُّرى

وَلَكِنَّنا ما حَمَدنا السُّرى

We traveled by night to King al-Dufiniyy,

We journeyed to the King of Dauphiny

but we had no praise for that night journey.

But we did not praise the journey

فَأَنزَلنا الدَّهرُ في مَنزِلٍ

فَأَنزَلنا الدَّهرُ في مَنزِلٍ

كَثيرِ الهُمومِ قَليلِ الكَرى

كَثيرِ الهُمومِ قَليلِ الكَرى

So Time lodged us in a dwelling

So time brought us down to dwell

full of cares and scant in sleep.

In a place of abundant cares and little sustenance

نَظَلُّ مَعَ الرُّومِ فيهِ فَما

نَظَلُّ مَعَ الرُّومِ فيهِ فَما

نُعاشِرُ إِلّا كِلابَ الوَرى

نُعاشِرُ إِلّا كِلابَ الوَرى

We remain there with the Romans, so we do not

We remain with the Romans there, so we

keep company with any but the dogs of humankind:

Only interact with the dogs of the earth

طوالَ القُرونِ قِصار النُّفو

طوالَ القُرونِ قِصار النُّفو

سِ فَوقَ الثُّرَيّا وَتَحتَ الثَّرى

سِ فَوقَ الثُّرَيّا وَتَحتَ الثَّرى

long-horned, small-souled,

With spirits long but abilities short above the soil

above the Pleiades and beneath the earth.

And below the burial grounds

مَجاهِيلُ ما فَطنوا بِالسَّماح

مَجاهِيلُ ما فَطنوا بِالسَّماح

وَلا سَمِعوا بِحَديثِ القِرى

وَلا سَمِعوا بِحَديثِ القِرى

Obscure men, who have no notion of generosity,

Ignorant, for they never understood tolerance

nor have they heard any talk of hospitality.

Nor heard the talk of towns

بَلى عِندَ ضَيفِهِمُ ما يُريدُ

بَلى عِندَ ضَيفِهِمُ ما يُريدُ

وَلَكِن لَعَمري إِذا ما اشتَرى

وَلَكِن لَعَمري إِذا ما اشتَرى

Yes, their guest has what he wants,

Rather, with their guest they ask for what they want

but, by my life, only when he buys it.

But, by my life, if he buys something

وَإِن كانَ عِندَهُمُ ثاوِياً

وَإِن كانَ عِندَهُمُ ثاوِياً

فَما تَتَعَدَّدُ دورُ الكرى

فَما تَتَعَدَّدُ دورُ الكرى

And if he stays with them,

And if he stays with them

then houses for rent are not plentiful.

The homes do not become too many