جُلوسِيَ في سوقٍ أَبيعُ وَأَشتَري

جُلوسِيَ في سوقٍ أَبيعُ وَأَشتَري

دَليلٌ عَلى أَنَّ الأَنامَ قُرودُ

دَليلٌ عَلى أَنَّ الأَنامَ قُرودُ

My sitting in a marketplace, selling and buying,

My sitting in a market, selling and buying,

is proof that humankind are apes.

is proof that people are monkeys.

وَلا خَيرَ في قَومٍ تُذَلُّ كِرامُهُم

وَلا خَيرَ في قَومٍ تُذَلُّ كِرامُهُم

وَيَعظُمُ فيهِم نَذلُهُمُ وَيَسودُ

وَيَعظُمُ فيهِم نَذلُهُمُ وَيَسودُ

There is no good in a people whose nobles are abased,

And there is no good in a people whose noble ones are humiliated,

while their wretch grows mighty among them and rules.

and whose base fellow rises in stature among them and rules.

وَيَهجوهُم عَنّي رَثاثَةُ كِسوَتي

وَيَهجوهُم عَنّي رَثاثَةُ كِسوَتي

هِجاءً قَبيحاً ما عَلَيهِ مَزيدُ

هِجاءً قَبيحاً ما عَلَيهِ مَزيدُ

And the shabbiness of my clothing lampoons them on my behalf—

And the shabbiness of my clothing satirizes them on my behalf,

a hideous lampoon to which nothing can be added.

with an ugly satire to which nothing more can be added.