أبوAbū (father of) ثعلبThaʿlab (fox) للناطفيto al-Nāṭifī زؤرfrequent visitor
أبو ثعلب للناطفي زؤر
علىdespite خُبثهِhis wickedness والناظفيُّand al-Nāẓifī غَيورُjealous
على خُبثهِ والناظفيُّ غَيورُ
Abū Thaʿlab is a frequent visitor to al-Nāṭifī,
Abu Tha'lab gave falsehood to An-Nateefi
despite his wickedness; and al-Nāẓifī is jealous.
For his wickedness, while An-Nateefi is jealous
وبالبغلةِand in the she-mule الشهباءِthe gray رقةُtenderness حافرٍof a hoof
وبالبغلةِ الشهباءِ رقةُ حافرٍ
وصاحبُناand our companion ماضيresolute الجنانِof heart جسورُbold
وصاحبُنا ماضي الجنانِ جسورُ
And the gray she-mule has a tender hoof,
And with the gray she-mule is the softness of a hoof
and our companion is resolute of heart and bold.
And our companion passes the gardens boldly
ولاand no غرَwonder وأنand that كانhad الأعرجthe lame man آرهاfucked her
ولا غرَ وأن كان الأعرج آرها
وماand not الناسُpeople إلاّexcept آيرٌone who fucks ومئيرُand one who is fucked
وما الناسُ إلاّ آيرٌ ومئيرُ
And no wonder that the lame man had fucked her:
It is no wonder that the lame was averse
people are nothing but fuckers and the fucked.
For people are but settler and mover