أمُورُ عَبيدِ دَوما عَجيبَةٌ

أمُورُ عَبيدِ دَوما عَجيبَةٌ

ولَكنَّ هذَا العبدَ أمرُه أعجَبُ

ولَكنَّ هذَا العبدَ أمرُه أعجَبُ

Ubayd’s affairs are always strange,

Slaves’ affairs are always strange,

but this slave’s affair is stranger still.

Yet this slave’s affair is stranger still.

ولَم يدرِ أنَّ العبدَ عبدٌ ولو مَشَى

ولَم يدرِ أنَّ العبدَ عبدٌ ولو مَشَى

بأقدامِه مِن خالِص التِّبرِ قَبقَبُ

بأقدامِه مِن خالِص التِّبرِ قَبقَبُ

He did not know that a slave is a slave, even if

And he did not know that a slave is a slave, even if he walked

clogs of pure gold should walk upon his feet.

With a clog of pure gold upon his feet.

وَأنتَنُ ما يبدُو لنَا مُتَطِّيباً

وَأنتَنُ ما يبدُو لنَا مُتَطِّيباً

وليسَ بِمُجدٍ في الصِّنَانِ تَطَيُّبُ

وليسَ بِمُجدٍ في الصِّنَانِ تَطَيُّبُ

Foulest of all is he who appears before us perfumed;

He is foulest-smelling when he appears to us wearing perfume,

and perfuming oneself is no use against armpit stench.

And applying perfume is useless against body stench.