أَبا نُصَيرٍ تَحَلحَل عَن مَجالِسِنا

أَبا نُصَيرٍ تَحَلحَل عَن مَجالِسِنا

فَاِنَّ فيكَ لِمَن جاراكَ مُنتَقَصا

فَاِنَّ فيكَ لِمَن جاراكَ مُنتَقَصا

Abu Nusayr, move away from our gatherings.

Abu Nasir, you have departed from our gatherings

For you bring discredit upon anyone who keeps company with you.

For indeed, for whoever lives near you, there is loss

أَنتَ الحِمارُ حَروناً إِن رَفَقتَ بِهِ

أَنتَ الحِمارُ حَروناً إِن رَفَقتَ بِهِ

وَإِن قَصَدتَ إِلى مَعروفِهِ قَمَصا

وَإِن قَصَدتَ إِلى مَعروفِهِ قَمَصا

You are the donkey: balking if you treat it gently,

You are a donkey, obnoxious if you are harsh with him

and if you seek its kindness, it bucks.

And if you intend good for him, it is inadequate

إِنّي هَزَزتُكَ لا آلوكَ مُجتَهِداً

إِنّي هَزَزتُكَ لا آلوكَ مُجتَهِداً

لَو كُنتَ سَيفاً وَلَكِنّي هَزَزتُ عَصا

لَو كُنتَ سَيفاً وَلَكِنّي هَزَزتُ عَصا

I brandished you, striving and sparing no effort;

I have indeed shaken you, not because you strive diligently

if only you had been a sword—but I brandished a stick.

If you were a sword, but I have shaken a stick