زَعَمُوا أَنِّي بُرْطَالْ

وَأَنَا لَسْتُ بِبُرْطَالْ

They claimed I'm a chubby bird

They claimed that I am a sparrow,

But I'm not a chubby bird

But I am no sparrow;

إِنَّمَا الْبُرْطَالُ طَيْرٌ

يَنْشُلُ الْحَبَّ بِمِنْشَالْ

The chubby bird is a bird

The sparrow is merely a bird

That pinches seeds with its beak

That snatches grain with a hook.

وَجَزَا الْبُرْطَالِ فَلْسٌ

وَجَزَائِي أَلْفُ مِثْقَالْ

The chubby bird deserves a slap

And the sparrow's worth is a copper coin,

And I deserve a thousand gold coins

While my worth is a thousand mithqals;

وَأَنَا شَخْصٌ ظَرِيفٌ

أُطْرِبُ النَّاسَ بِأَقْوَالْ

For I'm a polite gentleman

For I am a charming person

Who entertains people with words

Who delights people with words.