أَلا رُبَّ مُحتالِ عَذلٍ غَدا

يَجُرُّ إِلَيَّ ذُيولَ الطَمَع

Alas! Many a scheming flatterer

Drags to me the tails of greed,

فَأَبرَمَ سَمعي بِتَطويلِهِ

وَضَيَّقَ صَدري بِما قَد صَنَع

So I deafen my ears to his prolixity

And am stifled by what he has done.

فَوَشَحتُ بِالدَلوِ آذانَهُ

وَقَطَّعتُ أَخدَعَهُ بِالخُدَع

So I turn a cold shoulder to his bucket

And cut short his guile with guile.