ما أوقح المتنبى

فيما حكى وادعاه

How shameless al-Mutanabbi was

In what he recounted and claimed

أبيح مالا عظيما

حتى اباح قفاه

He made lawful what was profoundly illicit

Even permitting his rear end

يا سائلى عن غناه

من ذاك كان غناه

O you who ask of his singing

Who was it that sang his praises?

ان كان ذاك نبياً

فالجاثليق اله

If he was a prophet

Then the Patriarch is a god