أَيُّها الأَعرَجُ المُحَجَّبُ مَهلاً

لَيسَ هَذا مِن فِعلِ مَن يَتَمَرّى

O limping one, veiled, wait a while!

This is not the act of one who pretends

ما رَأَينا مُعَلِّماً قَطُّ مَحجو

باً وَلَو أَنَّهُ عَلى مُلكِ كِسرى

We have never seen a teacher, ever, veiled,

Even if he were in the realm of Chosroes

قَد رَأَينا عَصاكَ صَفراءَ مَلسا

ءَ مِنَ النَبعِ بَينَ صُغرى وَكُبرى

We have seen your stick, yellow, smooth

From the sap, between the Little Bear and Great Bear

جَمَعَت خَلَّتَينِ حُسناً وَليناً

لَكَ فيها ظَنّي مَآرِبُ أُخرى

Bringing together two qualities, beauty and softness

For you in it are, I suspect, other intentions