ولا أفرقُ غلّابا

لأن سُمّيَ غلّابا

I don't judge people

I do not fear Ghallab,

Just because they're called thieves

Just because he was named Ghallab;

ولو كان مثيلٍ اللي

ثِ لم أرهب له نابا

Even if there were others like him

Even if he were the peer of the lion,

I wouldn't growl at them, bare my fangs

I would not dread a fang of his,

ولو يعطى صقيلَ الحدّ

مثل الملح قِرضابا

Even if you gave them a sharpened blade

And were he given a polished edge,

As brittle as salt

As white as salt, a severing sword,

لقد ألبسه شِعري

من الذلّةِ جلبابا

I've dressed him in my poetry

My poetry has surely clothed him

With a cloak of disgrace

In a garment of humiliation,

وقد فوّهتُ فيه كلَّ

مَن قالَ ومَن عابا

And I've unleashed against him

And I have made everyone speak of him,

All those who speak ill and find fault

Both he who talks and he who finds fault.