لاdo not تسمعواlisten (you all) خمرةKhamra فقدfor already هرمتshe has grown old
لا تسمعوا خمرة فقد هرمت
وانكسرتand have shattered تلكمthose (addressing you all) القواريرُthe flasks
وانكسرت تلكم القواريرُ
Do not listen to Khamra, for she has grown old,
Do not listen to the old wineskin, for it has aged
and those flasks have shattered.
And those jars have shattered
رثhas grown threadbare غناهاher singing ورثand has grown threadbare كعثنهاher pubic hair
رث غناها ورث كعثنها
والخلقand the worn-out garment المسترثdeemed threadbare مهجورcast aside
والخلق المسترث مهجور
Her singing has grown threadbare, and so has her pubic hair;
Inheriting its songs, inheriting its lees
and a garment deemed threadbare is cast aside.
While the people who've inherited are scorned
وكلand every بازٍhawk يمسهُtouches it هرمٌold age
وكل بازٍ يمسهُ هرمٌ
تخرىdefecate علىupon رأسهits head العصافيرthe sparrows
تخرى على رأسه العصافير
And every hawk that old age touches—
And every falcon touched by old age
the sparrows shit upon its head.
The little birds twitter above its head