إِنَّ بِمَعنٍ إِن فَخَرتَ لَمَفخَراً

إِنَّ بِمَعنٍ إِن فَخَرتَ لَمَفخَراً

وَفي غَيرِها تُبنى بُيوتُ المَكارِمِ

وَفي غَيرِها تُبنى بُيوتُ المَكارِمِ

In Maʿn, if you boast, there is indeed a source of pride;

Though you may boast of courage in one aspect

Yet among others the houses of noble deeds are built.

In others are character's houses built

مَتى قُدتَ يا اِبنَ العَنبَرِيَّةِ عُصبَةً

مَتى قُدتَ يا اِبنَ العَنبَرِيَّةِ عُصبَةً

مِنَ الناسِ تَهديها فِجاجَ المَخارِمِ

مِنَ الناسِ تَهديها فِجاجَ المَخارِمِ

When have you ever led, O son of the ʿAnbari woman, a band

When will you, O son of the perfumers, lead a band

Of men, guiding them through the broad mountain passes?

Of people, guiding them into deadly perils?

إِذا ما اِبنُ جَدٍّ كانَ ناهَزَ طَيِّئاً

إِذا ما اِبنُ جَدٍّ كانَ ناهَزَ طَيِّئاً

فَإِنَّ الذُرى قَد صِرنَ تَحتَ المَناسِمِ

فَإِنَّ الذُرى قَد صِرنَ تَحتَ المَناسِمِ

If ever Ibn Jadd has rivaled Ṭayyiʾ,

If the son of a nobleman becomes a base man

Then indeed the summits have come to lie beneath the camels’ footpads.

Then surely the times have fallen beneath the dividers

فَقَد بِزِمامٍ بَظرَ أُمِّكَ وَاِحتَفِر

فَقَد بِزِمامٍ بَظرَ أُمِّكَ وَاِحتَفِر

بِأَيرِ أَبيكَ الفَسلِ كُرّاثَ عاسِمِ

بِأَيرِ أَبيكَ الفَسلِ كُرّاثَ عاسِمِ

So lead your mother’s clitoris with a rein, and dig up

So take your mother's udder in hand, be weaned,

ʿĀsim’s leeks with your vile father’s penis.

And with your father's old bucket, draw for the thirsty.