يَقولون لي اِهجُ الطَبل لِكنَّهُم كنوا

عَن الرَجُل المَشهور في الناس بِالطَبلِ

They tell me to satirize the drummer, but they were

Talking about the man famous among people for drums

فَقُلتُ لَعَلَّ الجاهلين يَسوؤهم

مَقاليَ هَذا قَد تَفَرَّد بِالجَهلِ

So I said maybe the ignorant are hurt

By my saying which excelled in ignorance

وَهَجو لَئيم القَوم أَنفى لذلّه

كَنفي غبار النَعل ينفضُ بِالنَعلِ

And the satire of the mean people is more fragrant to their meanness

Like the dust of a sandal shaken off by the sandal

وَلَكن سَأوليه المَديح فَإِنَّهُ

سَيَظهر مَعنى قَذفيَ الدرّ بِالوَحلِ

But I will praise him, for

The meaning of my throwing the pearl in the mud will become clear