بِاللَهِ قُل لي أَقرطاسٌ تخطُّ بِهِ

بِاللَهِ قُل لي أَقرطاسٌ تخطُّ بِهِ

مِن حِلَّةٍ هو أَم أَبَستَهُ حللا

مِن حِلَّةٍ هو أَم أَبَستَهُ حللا

By God, tell me: is the paper you write on

By God, tell me is it papyrus you draw lines on

made from a robe, or have you clothed it in robes?

Or have you donned it as a robe?

بِاللَهِ لَفظكَ هذا سالَ من عسلٍ

بِاللَهِ لَفظكَ هذا سالَ من عسلٍ

أَم قَد صَبَبتَ على أَفواهِنا عَسَلا

أَم قَد صَبَبتَ على أَفواهِنا عَسَلا

By God, did these words of yours flow from honey,

By God, your words here flowed with honey

or have you poured honey upon our mouths?

Or have you poured honey on our mouths?