قُلْتُ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنْ عَظْمِي وَهَنْ

قُلْتُ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنْ عَظْمِي وَهَنْ

قَدْ كُنْتُ فَانْعَشْنِي إِذَا اشْتَدَّ الزَمَنْ

قَدْ كُنْتُ فَانْعَشْنِي إِذَا اشْتَدَّ الزَمَنْ

I told ʿAbd Allah that my bones had grown weak.

I said to Abdullah as my bones grew weak,

I once was [strong]; so revive me when times grow harsh.

"You've revived me before when times were bleak,

أُنْقِفُكَ المُخَّ وَأَسْقِيكَ اللَبَنْ

أُنْقِفُكَ المُخَّ وَأَسْقِيكَ اللَبَنْ

وَالشَحْمَ مَحْضاً بِاللُبَابِ المُطَّحَنْ

وَالشَحْمَ مَحْضاً بِاللُبَابِ المُطَّحَنْ

I extract marrow for you and give you milk to drink,

Give me chickpeas and milk to drink,

and pure fat with finely ground grain.

And clarified butter with fine semolina to eat, I hope,

آمُلُ أَنْ تَمْخَنَ فِي جِسْمٍ مِخَنْ

آمُلُ أَنْ تَمْخَنَ فِي جِسْمٍ مِخَنْ

تَحُكُّ ذِفْرَاكَ لِأَصْحَابِ الضَغَنْ

تَحُكُّ ذِفْرَاكَ لِأَصْحَابِ الضَغَنْ

I hope you grow stout within a sturdy frame,

That I may grow fat again upon this diet,

scratching your nape for those who harbor rancor,

To scratch my skin for those who bore me spite,

تَحُكُّ لِلأَجْربِ يَأْذَى بِالعَرَنْ

تَحُكُّ لِلأَجْربِ يَأْذَى بِالعَرَنْ

scratching for the scabby one who suffers from skin sores.

And those who envied and spoke with malice."