لَقَد ذَهَبَت خَيراتُ قَومٍ يَسودُهُم

لَقَد ذَهَبَت خَيراتُ قَومٍ يَسودُهُم

قُدامَةُ خُصيا قَنبَلِيٍّ مُهَمَّلِ

قُدامَةُ خُصيا قَنبَلِيٍّ مُهَمَّلِ

Indeed, gone are the blessings of a people ruled by

The virtues of a people led by

Qudāmah—the two testicles of a neglected, stocky donkey.

Qudamah the eunuch have vanished.

مَنَعتُ قَلوصاً بِالمَطالي وَلَم يَكُن

مَنَعتُ قَلوصاً بِالمَطالي وَلَم يَكُن

بِنابَيكَ مِنها غَيرُ تُربٍ وَجَندَلِ

بِنابَيكَ مِنها غَيرُ تُربٍ وَجَندَلِ

I protected a young she-camel at al-Maṭālī, and there was nothing

I forbade a miser access with threats,

For your two fangs from her but dust and stones.

and he had from me nothing but dust and fleas.

وَعَزَّت عَلَيكَ الفَحلَ سَوداءُ جَونَةٌ

وَعَزَّت عَلَيكَ الفَحلَ سَوداءُ جَونَةٌ

وَقَد تَنجُلُ الأَرحامُ مِن كُلِّ مَنجَلِ

وَقَد تَنجُلُ الأَرحامُ مِن كُلِّ مَنجَلِ

And a dusky black female proved beyond your reach, you stud,

A black, slender mare has become too strong for you,

Yet wombs may bear offspring by any sire.

though wombs may quicken from any old bag of bones.