1. When Abu Ishaq our poet sees a date,
He makes it as dry as an old cracker.
١. أَبو إِسحاقَ شاعِرُنا إِذا ما
رَأى رُطَباً يُصَيِّرُهُ كَبيسا
2. If such a lad were to gaze at an idol someday,
He would spit a gob at it in anger.
٢. فَتى لَو مَدَّ عَيناً مِنهُ يَوماً
إِلى صَنَمٍ لَخاطَ عَلَيهِ كيسا
3. Since it was a dripping sapling, you see him as
A mindless fool minus a keeper.
٣. لَهُ مُذ كانَ مِقطَرَةٌ تَراهُ
بَلا عَقلٍ إِذا عَدِمَت حَبيسا
4. He enjoys propping it up whenever
He can find supports for it as a pine tree.
٤. تَلَذُّ لَهُ عِمارَتِها إِذا ما
أَصابَ لَها الدَعائِمَ آبَنوسا