لَنا صاحِبٌ قَد مُسَّ إِلّا بَقِيَّةٌ

فَلَيسَ بِمَجنونٍ وَلَيسَ بِعاقِلِ

We have a friend who's been touched but whose mind remains

He's neither sane nor insane

لَهُ قَدَمٌ لا تَستَقِرُّ بِمَوضِعٍ

كَما يَتَنَزّى في الحَصى غَيرُ ناعِلِ

His feet won't settle in one place

As he prances about aimlessly like a strutting rooster

إِذا ما بَدا في مَجلِسٍ ظُنَّ حافِلاً

مِنَ الصَخَبِ العالي وَلَيسَ بِحافِلِ

When he appears at a gathering, the loud hubbub makes him seem immersed

But in truth he is not immersed

وَيُمطِرُنا مِن لَفظِهِ كُلَّ جامِدٍ

وَيُمطِرُنا مِن رَيلِهِ شَرَّ سائِلِ

He bombards us with lifeless words

And evil drivel pours out of him

وَيُلقي عَلى السُمّارِ كَفّاً دِعابُها

كَعَضَّةِ بَردٍ في نَواحي المَفاصِلِ

He playfully smacks the gamblers with his palm

Like the sting of cold in the joints