1. يا ربَّما فرسٌ إِن رمتُ أَمدَحُهُ

    رَأيتُهُ لا يُساوي الباعَ من مَرسِ

    Ah, many a horse, if I seek to praise it,

    I find it not worth a fathom of rope.

  2. وَكَم حِمارٍ غَدا بِاليُمنِ مُتَّصِفاً

    وَكَم حِمارٍ عَلا قَدراً على فَرسِ

    And many a donkey has come to be endowed with good fortune,

    And many a donkey has risen in rank above a horse.

  3. رَأيتُهُ لا يُساوي الباعَ من مَرسِ

    وَكَم حِمارٍ غَدا بِاليُمنِ مُتَّصِفاً

    I find it not worth a fathom of rope.

    And many a donkey has come to be endowed with good fortune,

  4. وَكَم حِمارٍ عَلا قَدراً على فَرسِ

    And many a donkey has risen in rank above a horse.