في أبي جعفرٍ وفي وسْواسِهُ

في أبي جعفرٍ وفي وسْواسِهُ

عبرةٌ للبيبِ من جُلاَّسِهْ

عبرةٌ للبيبِ من جُلاَّسِهْ

In Abū Jaʿfar and his obsessive delusions

In Abu Ja‘far and his obsessive fancies

is a lesson for the discerning among his companions.

lies a lesson for the discerning among his companions.

لاحنٌ في اسمه على ما ادَّعى في

لاحنٌ في اسمه على ما ادَّعى في

عِلَلِ النحو من لطيفِ قياسِه

عِلَلِ النحو من لطيفِ قياسِه

A solecist even in his own name, despite all he claimed about

He errs in his own name, despite his claims of

the principles of grammar and the subtlety of his analogies.

subtle analogical reasoning in explaining grammar.

عارفٌ عند نفسِهِ وهو لايع

عارفٌ عند نفسِهِ وهو لايع

رفُ يا قومُ رجلَهُ من راسِه

رفُ يا قومُ رجلَهُ من راسِه

Learned in his own estimation—yet he cannot recog—

Learned in his own eyes, yet he does not

—nize, good people, his own foot from his head.

know, O people, his foot from his head.

لبس القُبْعَ كي يموِّهَ بالقُبْ

لبس القُبْعَ كي يموِّهَ بالقُبْ

عِ علينا ولم يكنْ من لباسه

عِ علينا ولم يكنْ من لباسه

He put on the cap, hoping to fool us with the ca—

He donned the cap, intending with it

—p, though it was never part of his attire:

to deceive us, though it was not his usual dress.

مثل مَنْ يختُم القراطيسَ من غي

مثل مَنْ يختُم القراطيسَ من غي

رِ كتابٍ يكونُ في قرطاسه

رِ كتابٍ يكونُ في قرطاسه

like one who seals sheets of paper withou—

Like one who seals sheets of paper without

—t any writing on his page.

any writing on his paper.