أَباهِلَ لَو أَنَّ الأَنامَ تَنافَروا

عَلى أَيِّهِم شَرٌّ قَديماً وَأَلأَمُ

How dreadful, if people in hostility strove,

Debating which of them were eviler long ago,

لَفازَ لَكُم سَهماً لَئيمٍ عَلَيهِمُ

وَلَو كانَتِ العَجلانُ فيهِم وَجُرهُمُ

You two would win them a vile arrow

Even if folly and foolishness were in them.

فَأَيُّكُما يا اِبنَي دُخانٍ إِذا دَعا

إِلى اللُؤمِ داعٍ عَنكُما يَتَقَدَّمُ

So which of you, O sons of smoke, when called

To vileness by a summoner preceding you,

فَما مِنكُمُ إِلّا وَفِيٌّ رِهانَهُ

بِأَلأَمِ مِن يَمشي وَمَن يَتَكَلَّمُ

Would not proceed, with his pledge already lost

Through the pain of any who walks or speaks?