شيa thing عجبwondrous شيa thing عجبwondrous
شي عجب شي عجب
الحمارthe donkey لهit has ذنبa tail
الحمار له ذنب
A wondrous thing, a wondrous thing!
What a wonder, what a wonder
The donkey has a tail.
The donkey has a tail
والفرسand the horse لهit has سُريجa little saddle
والفرس له سُريج
يعملوهthey make it منfrom خشبwood
يعملوه من خشب
And the horse has a little saddle;
And the horse has a saddle
They make it from wood.
Made of wood
النعامthe ostrich هوبريشit has feathers
النعام هوبريش
شيsomething يموتdies وشيand something يعيشlives
شي يموت وشي يعيش
The ostrich has feathers.
The ostrich has feathers
Something dies, and something lives.
Some die and some live
وأرىand I see للحشيشfrom hashish
وأرى للحشيش
فيin الرويسانthe little heads طيشflightiness
في الرويسان طيش
And I see, from hashish,
And I see the grass
Flightiness in little heads.
Acting crazy in Ruwais
ياO غُصَينlittle branch أورقاput forth leaves
يا غُصَين أورقا
فوقهabove it موزbananas قدalready رقاrose
فوقه موز قد رقا
O little branch, grown leafy,
Oh two green leaves
Above it, bananas have risen.
With a peeled banana on top
صارhe began يناديcalling out عليهto it
صار ينادي عليه
ماnot بقيتI stayed لوبقىif he stayed
ما بقيت لوبقى
He began calling out to it:
It started calling it
“I would not stay if he stayed.”
Nothing would be left if it remained