أبوه بلبلٌ ضاوٍ ويُكْنى

أبا صقرٍ فكنيتهُ مُحالَهْ

His father is a chirping nightingale, and his nickname

Is "father of hawk", though the nickname seems absurd,

يجودُ بعِرْضهِ للشتمِ عفواً

ويبخلُ بالقُلامةِ والخُلالهْ

He generously offers his honor to be insulted,

Yet is miserly about his turban and his gown.

وللأوغادِ أموالٌ تراها

مصوناتٍ بأعراضٍ مُذالَهْ

And you see the vulgar have wealth that's protected

By unviolated reputations, though degraded.

ولم يكُ مَنْ نماهُ أبٌ كريمٌ

ليبذُلَ عرضه ويصونَ مالهْ

No father raised him to be so noble

As to expend his honor and guard his money.

تمحّلَ نِسبةً أعيت أباه

وكان المرءُ يعجزُ لا المحالَهْ

He boasts of lineage though it wearied his father,

For a man may be incapable, but not lineage.