يُصيبُ وَما يَدري وَيُخطي وَما دَرى

وَكَيفَ يَكونُ النوكُ إِلّا كَذالِكا

He errs, not knowing, and oversteps, unwary,

How should a camel be other than like that?

وَإِن قالَ قَولاً لَم يَكُن ذا حَقيقَةٍ

وَإِن قُلتَ خَيراً رَدَّهُ مِن فَعالِكا

And if he says a thing not based on fact,

Or you say “well done,” he gives the lie in his acts.