ما بالُ عَينَيهِ قد التقيَتا

بوَجههِ كَمَن له الموتُ أتَى

Why have his eyes met

With his face like one who death has come upon

فقلتُ مَن هَذا ولا تَشتاطُ

فقيل لي قَرَّانُنَا كُوليَاطٌ

So I said who is this, do not get carried away

And I was told our Kulyat the Quran reciter

فقلتُ ما بالَه عندَما يرَى

هذا تظُنُّه لِذاك أبصَرَا

So I said why when he sees

This you think it makes him see better

كأنَّ عينيه لها ارتبَاطُ

فقِيلَ لي كذا يُرَى كُوليَاط

As if his eyes are tied together

And I was told this is how Kulyat is seen

فقلتُ مَا بالُه بعدَ أكلِه

يُسرِعُ في الحينِ لأخذِ حُكِّهِ

So I said why after his eating

Does he quickly take his ruling

فقيل لي مِن أنفِه المُخَاط

يسيلُ إن لم يَنتَشِق كُوليَاط

And I was told from his running nose

Mucus drips if Kulyat does not sniff

تَدلَّتِ العِمَّة فوقَ عينِه

وهَبطت مِن رَأسِه لأًذنِه

The turban drooped over his eye

And slid from his head to his ear

واختَبلَت ومآلها انبِسَاطُ

فالكَرنَفَل قَرَّانُنا كُولياط

And got mixed up, its fate being unraveling

So our Quran reciter is the clown Kulyat

ما بالُ كُولياط إذا ناديتَهُ

يُجيب لكِن مُنكِراً كُنيَتَهُ

Why when you call Kulyat

Does he respond yet denying his nickname

ورُبَّما منه علا العِيَاطُ

كأنما ليسَ اسمَهُ كُوليَاطُ

And sometimes from him comes wailing

As if his name is not Kulyat

قلتُ لهُ يوماً بِحقِّ اللهِ

هل لكَ إخوةٌ ذوو اشتِبَاهِ

I said to him one day by God's right

Do you have any similar looking brothers

قال ثلاثَةٌ ولا شَطَاطُ

رَابعُهُم هُو أنا كُوليَاط

He said three and no kidding around

The fourth is me, Kulyat

إثنانِ في سِركهِمَا وثَالثٌ

أهلُ الجديدَةِ لَه تعابثُ

Two are unknown and a third

Of the new city, he is mischievous

وشكلُهم طُرا به انحِطاطُ

أحسَنُهم هُو أنا كُوليَاطُ

And their appearance with it is declining

The best of them is me, Kulyat

كُولياطُ ياكُوليَاط يا كُوليَاطُ

ما بالُ عَينيكَ بهَا اختِلاطُ

Kulyat, oh Kulyat, oh Kulyat

Why are your eyes confused

كُولياطُ ياكُوليَاط يا كُوليَاطُ

ما بَالُ وجهِك به انحِطَاطُ

Kulyat, oh Kulyat, oh Kulyat

Why has your face declined

كُولياطُ ياكُوليَاط يا كُوليَاطُ

ما بالُ أنفكَ به المُخَاطُ

Kulyat, oh Kulyat, oh Kulyat

Why does your nose run with mucus

نَفِّح أيَا قَرَّانَنَا كُوليَاطُ

Blow, oh our Quran reciter Kulyat