ومدَّعٍand a pretender تكذبهُbelies him نفسهُhis own self
ومدَّعٍ تكذبهُ نفسهُ
عنديI have ذكاءintelligence وهوyet he عينthe very essence of البلهstupidity
عندي ذكاء وهو عين البله
And a pretender whose own self belies him:
“I have wit”—yet he is stupidity itself.
قاتلهmay He confound him اللهGod أديباًa man of letters فماand how
قاتله الله أديباً فما
أخفَّهlight he is رأساًin head وماand how أثقلهheavy he is
أخفَّه رأساً وما أثقله
God confound him for a man of letters! How
light his head is, and how heavy he is!
لوif زلزلتwere shaken ناحيةٌa region حلَّهاhe settled in it
لو زلزلت ناحيةٌ حلَّها
ماnot حرَّكتwould move منزلهhis house الزلزلهthe earthquake
ما حرَّكت منزله الزلزله
If a region where he settled were shaken,
the earthquake would not budge his house.
Sol 6.1