أَنَّ مِن أَكَبرِ الكَبائِرِ عِندي

أَنَّ مِن أَكَبرِ الكَبائِرِ عِندي

قَتلَ بَيضاءَ حُرَّةٍ عُطبولِ

قَتلَ بَيضاءَ حُرَّةٍ عُطبولِ

That one of the gravest sins, to my mind,

One of the greatest sins to me

Is killing a fair-skinned, freeborn, long-necked beauty.

Is killing an innocent free white dove.

قُتِلَت باطِلاً عَلى غَيرِ ذَنبٍ

قُتِلَت باطِلاً عَلى غَيرِ ذَنبٍ

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ دَرَّها مِن قَتيلِ

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ دَرَّها مِن قَتيلِ

She was killed unjustly, without any fault.

She was killed unjustly without any guilt.

Indeed, God bless her—what a slain beauty!

Indeed, Allah will avenge her killer.

كُتِبَ القَتلُ وَالقِتالُ عَلَينا

كُتِبَ القَتلُ وَالقِتالُ عَلَينا

وَعَلى الغانِياتِ جَرُّ الذُيولِ

وَعَلى الغانِياتِ جَرُّ الذُيولِ

Killing and fighting have been decreed for us,

Killing and fighting were decreed upon us,

And for beautiful women, the trailing of their hems.

And the train of dresses upon singing girls.