أَلاLo! إِنَّماnothing but شَنٌّShann حِمارٌa donkey وَأَعنُزٌand she-goats
أَلا إِنَّما شَنٌّ حِمارٌ وَأَعنُزٌ
وَأَبياتُand tents سَوءٍwretchedness ماnot لَهُنَّthey have سُتورُcurtains
وَأَبياتُ سَوءٍ ما لَهُنَّ سُتورُ
Lo, Shann is nothing but a donkey and she-goats,
Alas! Only the braying of a donkey and bleating of a sheep
And wretched tents that have no curtains.
And foul lines with no veils
أَتَمنَعُcan they hold back? مُخضَرَّdark-green السَحابِthe clouds عَجائِزٌold women
أَتَمنَعُ مُخضَرَّ السَحابِ عَجائِزٌ
لَهُنَّthey have بِأَطنابِat the guy ropes of البُيوتِthe tents هَريرُsnarling
لَهُنَّ بِأَطنابِ البُيوتِ هَريرُ
Can the dark-green clouds be held back by old women
Do old women prevent the raining clouds?
Who snarl beside the tent ropes?
They have in their homes' corners only babbling