1. في الجلاحين زوّجوني

    للعروسة توّجوني

    In al-Jalahin they married me off,

    For the bride they crowned me.

  2. وعليّ فرّجوها

    وعليها فرّجوني

    And they let her look at me,

    And let me look at her.

  3. زوّقوها في الأغاني

    وجلوها بالمغاني

    They adorned her amid songs,

    And displayed her with the singers.

  4. وأتوني في التهاني

    بالمُنى يبشروني

    And they came to me with congratulations,

    Bringing glad tidings of my heart’s desires.

  5. وبقت أمي تزغرط

    والمغاني لي بتغرط

    And my mother began to ululate,

    And the singers trilled for me.

  6. وأنا أنشكع وانقط

    حين أراهم يوصفوني

    And I lounged and handed out tips,

    When I saw them praising me.

  7. أقبلوا يزفزفوها

    بالدفوف ويوصفوها

    They approached, escorting her in procession,

    With frame-drums, praising her.

  8. بين شموعات صفّفوها

    عن شمالي من يميني

    They arranged her among candles,

    To my left, on my right.

  9. وأنا في الصدر قاعد

    لي منصّة مع مقاعد

    And I sat in the place of honor,

    With a dais and seats for me.

  10. وطواشي قام يباعد

    ناس رآهم يقرصوني

    And a eunuch rose to keep away

    People he saw pinching me.

  11. صار لي موكب في الأوطان

    رحت أنا في رحت غلظان

    I had a procession through the lands;

    I went, puffed up as I went,

  12. أحسب أني صرت سلطان

    والسراري يخدموني

    Thinking I had become a sultan,

    With concubines serving me.

  13. إنها يا ناس فرحه

    ولها كمان صبحه

    It was a celebration, people!

    And it had a morning-after celebration too.

  14. سرها كتمت شرحه

    عنكم لا تحيدوني

    I hid the explanation of its secret

    From you; do not turn me away.

  15. رقصوا في النور عروسي

    فبقيت أنثر فلوسي

    They made my bride dance in the light,

    So I kept scattering my money.

  16. ثم حين فرغت كيسي

    في الظلام رقصوني

    Then, when I had emptied my purse,

    In the dark they made me dance.

  17. قدموها لي بتمشي

    بين تكتيب ونقش

    They brought her to me on foot,

    Amid decorative lettering and designs.

  18. حين رأوا كيسي ما فيه شي

    في الدهاليز هججوني

    When they saw my purse held nothing,

    They chased me off through the passageways.

  19. جزموا بكسر قلبي

    بعد رفعي بين صحبي

    They resolved to break my heart,

    After raising me among my companions

  20. فوق منصة ذات نصب

    ليتهم لم يرفعوني

    Upon a dais of trickery.

    If only they had not raised me!

  21. رحت أنا مطعوم لهمي

    وبقيت أبكي لطعمي

    I went away, a meal for my sorrow,

    And kept weeping over my food.

  22. أحسب أختي بنت أمي

    يا ترى إيش أطعموني

    I thought my sister was my mother’s daughter—

    I wonder, what did they feed me?