1. تجاوز نسبة المولى

    وأصبح يدّعي العربا

    He cast aside his lineage as a client,

    and began claiming Arab descent.

  2. فلا هذا ولا هاذا

    ك يدركه إذا طلبا

    So neither this nor that

    can he attain when he seeks it.

  3. أتيت له بشبوط

    ترى بظهورها حدبا

    I brought him shabbout fish,

    on whose backs you see humps.

  4. فقال أما نحلّك من

    طعام يُذهِبُ السغبا

    He said, “Shall we not excuse you from

    providing food that banishes hunger?

  5. أصبْ لأخيك يربوعاً

    وضبّاً واترك اللعبا

    Get your brother a jerboa,

    and a spiny-tailed lizard, and stop fooling.”

  6. فرشت له مزيج المس

    ك والكافور والعربا

    I spread for him a blend of musk,

    camphor, and ʿarab perfume.

  7. فأمسك أنفه عنه

    وقام مبادراً هربا

    So he held his nose to shut it out,

    and sprang up, hastening to flee.

  8. يريد الشيح والقيصُو

    م كي يستوجب النسبا

    He wants wormwood and desert yarrow,

    to earn his claim to that lineage.

  9. وقام إليه ساقينا

    بكأس ينظم الحببا

    And our cupbearer rose to approach him

    with a cup whose bubbles form a string,

  10. معتقة مُرَوّقة

    تسلِّي هَمّ من شربا

    of aged, clarified wine,

    soothing the cares of whoever drinks.

  11. فآلي لا يسلسلها

    وقال أصِبْ لنا حلبا

    So he swore he would not swallow it,

    and said, “Get us some milk.”

  12. جحدت أباك نسبته

    وترجو أنْ تفيد أبا

    You disowned your father's lineage,

    yet hope to acquire a father!