ما تَجْزَعُ الشَّاةُ إذا شُحِطَتْ

من ألمِ الذَّبْح ولا السَّلْخِ

The sheep is not pained when it is slaughtered,

Nor from the skinning, nor from being disjointed,

ولا من التَّفْصِيلِ مَنْكُوسَةً

ولا من الشَّيِّ ولا الطَّبْخ

Nor from the boiling, nor the cooking.

But it is pained by a simple iron rod

لكنها تجزع من خَلَّةٍ

تَقْدَحُ في الأحْشَاءِ بالمرْخِ

That pierces through its guts.

It fears that your poetry will be inscribed

تُشْفِقُ أنْ يُكْتَبَ في جلدها

شِعْرُك يا ذا القَرْنِ والكَشْخِ

On its skin, O horned and unkempt one!