أَلا قُل لِكَعبِ الأَشقَرِيِّ بِلُؤمِكُم

أَلا قُل لِكَعبِ الأَشقَرِيِّ بِلُؤمِكُم

عَلِمنا بِأَنَّ اللُّؤمَ في الأَرضِ أشقَرُ

عَلِمنا بِأَنَّ اللُّؤمَ في الأَرضِ أشقَرُ

Listen, tell Kaʿb al-Ashqarī: through your baseness

Tell Ka'b al-Ashqari with your blame,

We have learned that baseness on earth is blond.

We knew that blame on earth is ash-colored.

بيوتُكَ أَشباهُ البيوتِ وَأَهلُها

بيوتُكَ أَشباهُ البيوتِ وَأَهلُها

خَنازيرُ أَنباطٍ تُعافُ وَتُعّذَرُ

خَنازيرُ أَنباطٍ تُعافُ وَتُعّذَرُ

Your houses are mere semblances of houses, and their inhabitants

Your houses are like houses, and their people

Are Nabataean swine, loathed and circumcised.

Are pigs of Nabataeans, who complain and make excuses.

تَواصَوا بِذَبحِ الكَلبِ إِن جَرَّ صَوتُه

تَواصَوا بِذَبحِ الكَلبِ إِن جَرَّ صَوتُه

لَهُم طارِقاً وَالرّيحُ نَكباءُ صَرصَرُ

لَهُم طارِقاً وَالرّيحُ نَكباءُ صَرصَرُ

They urged one another to slaughter the dog if its bark drew

They conspired to slaughter the dog if it made a noise,

A night visitor to them, while a bitter, howling crosswind blew.

To them an intruder, while the roaring wind roared.

فَما تَرَكَ الكَلبُ النّباحَ مَخافَةً

فَما تَرَكَ الكَلبُ النّباحَ مَخافَةً

عَلى زادِهِم لَكِن عَلى النَّفسِ يَحذَرُ

عَلى زادِهِم لَكِن عَلى النَّفسِ يَحذَرُ

So the dog ceased barking not out of concern

But the dog did not stop barking out of fear

For their provisions, but out of fear for its own life.

For their provision, but to protect himself he was cautious.