ياO أيهاyou الرجلthe man المُدَلِّسُdeceptively passing off نفسَهhimself
يا أيها الرجل المُدَلِّسُ نفسَه
فيin جملةِthe company of الكُرَماءthe generous والأدباءِand the men of letters
في جملةِ الكُرَماء والأدباءِ
O man who passes himself off
O you disguised man
as one of the generous and the men of letters,
Among the generous and courteous
بالبيتِwith a verse يُنْشِدُhe recites رُبعَهa quarter of it أوor نصفَهhalf of it
بالبيتِ يُنْشِدُ رُبعَه أو نصفَه
والخبزِand the bread يُرزَأُhe is deprived of عندهat his house والماءِand the water
والخبزِ يُرزَأُ عنده والماءِ
with a verse, of which he recites a quarter or half,
With verses he recites to his friends and companions
and bread and water he parts with at his house,
Yet bread and water he withholds from them
تدليسهhis deception عندbefore الكواعبthe full-breasted maidens لمَّةًa head of hair
تدليسه عند الكواعب لمَّةً
مخضوبةًdyed بالخِطْرwith plant-based hair dye والحنّاءِand henna
مخضوبةً بالخِطْر والحنّاءِ
as he deceives the full-breasted maidens with a head of hair
His deception charms the fair ladies
dyed with plant dye and henna.
Dyed with henna and intrigue
لاdo not تكذبنَّever lie فإنfor indeed لُؤمكَyour baseness ناصلٌshowing through
لا تكذبنَّ فإن لُؤمكَ ناصلٌ
كنُصولِlike the shedding of dye from تلكthat اللِّمّةِhead of hair الشمطاءِgrizzled
كنُصولِ تلك اللِّمّةِ الشمطاءِ
Do not lie, for your baseness is showing through,
Do not lie, for your defects are evident
like that grizzled hair as its dye fades.
Like the horns of that horned viper