انظُر مُغنّيةَ العَجائِز إِذ شدَت

انظُر مُغنّيةَ العَجائِز إِذ شدَت

والأسوَدَ الجاثِي بصَوتِه يَزعَقُ

والأسوَدَ الجاثِي بصَوتِه يَزعَقُ

Look at the old women's singer as she sings,

Behold the old women’s singer as she sang

and the kneeling black man, bellowing with his voice;

And the black lions with their roaring cries

فكأنها وكأنَّه بإزائِهَا

فكأنها وكأنَّه بإزائِهَا

دارٌ عفَت فيها غُرابٌ ينعَقُ

دارٌ عفَت فيها غُرابٌ ينعَقُ

so she and he opposite her are like

As though it were, and as though they in response to her

a house fallen to ruin, with a raven cawing within.

A house gone to ruin where ravens croak and caw