أأنصف ممن طبعهم من مقابح

ولم يعنهم مدحي ولم يؤذهم هجوى

Is it fair of those whose nature is ugly

That my praise does not help them, nor my satire harm them

نبيهم السكرباج والشيخ ربهم

وعزهم ذل الفقيه أو النحوى

Their prophet is the wine-seller, their lord the sheikh

Their pride is the humiliation of the jurist or the grammarian

فمن عجب أرجو من الشمس شربة

وطال رشا الآمال حتى وهي داوى

So it is no wonder I hope for a drink from the sun

And the irrigation of hopes continues though it withers me