وَناصِحٍ أَسرف في النَكيرِ

يَقولُ لي سُدتَ بِلا نَظيرِ

A harsh critic rebuked me beyond measure

Saying, "You have composed peerless verse!"

فَكَيفَ صُغتَ الهَجو في حَقير

مِقدارُهُ أَقَلُّ من نَقيرِ

"How could you satirize one so lowly?

He is lesser than a speck of dust!"

فَقُلتُ لا تنكر وَكُن عَذيري

كَم صارِمٍ جُرِّبَ في خَنزيرِ

I replied, "Do not condemn me, excuse me instead.

Many a sharp sword has been tried on a pig."