إذا ما مدحتَ أبا صالح

إذا ما مدحتَ أبا صالح

فأَعدِدْ له الشتم قبل المديحِ

فأَعدِدْ له الشتم قبل المديحِ

Whenever I praise Abu Salih,

If ever you praise Abu Salih,

have abuse ready for him before the praise.

then prepare insults for him before the praise.

فإني ضمينُك عن لؤمِهِ

فإني ضمينُك عن لؤمِهِ

ببُخْلٍ عتيد وردٍّ قبيحِ

ببُخْلٍ عتيد وردٍّ قبيحِ

For I guarantee you, as to his meanness,

For I guarantee you, given his baseness,

stinginess ever at hand, and an ugly rebuff.

stinginess ready at hand and an ugly rebuff.

وأنَّى يجود ولا عِرْقُهُ

وأنَّى يجود ولا عِرْقُهُ

كريم ولا وجهُه بالصَّبيحِ

كريم ولا وجهُه بالصَّبيحِ

And how could he give freely, when his lineage is not

And how can he give generously, when neither his lineage

noble, nor his face handsome?

is noble nor his face handsome?