زَعَمُوا أَنِّي بُرْطَالْ

زَعَمُوا أَنِّي بُرْطَالْ

وَأَنَا لَسْتُ بِبُرْطَالْ

وَأَنَا لَسْتُ بِبُرْطَالْ

They claimed that I was a sparrow,

They claimed I'm a chubby bird

They claimed that I am a sparrow,

And I am not a sparrow.

But I'm not a chubby bird

But I am no sparrow;

إِنَّمَا الْبُرْطَالُ طَيْرٌ

إِنَّمَا الْبُرْطَالُ طَيْرٌ

يَنْشُلُ الْحَبَّ بِمِنْشَالْ

يَنْشُلُ الْحَبَّ بِمِنْشَالْ

The sparrow is merely a bird

The chubby bird is a bird

The sparrow is merely a bird

That snatches up grain with its beak.

That pinches seeds with its beak

That snatches grain with a hook.

وَجَزَا الْبُرْطَالِ فَلْسٌ

وَجَزَا الْبُرْطَالِ فَلْسٌ

وَجَزَائِي أَلْفُ مِثْقَالْ

وَجَزَائِي أَلْفُ مِثْقَالْ

And the sparrow's reward is a copper coin,

The chubby bird deserves a slap

And the sparrow's worth is a copper coin,

And my reward is a thousand mithqals.

And I deserve a thousand gold coins

While my worth is a thousand mithqals;

وَأَنَا شَخْصٌ ظَرِيفٌ

وَأَنَا شَخْصٌ ظَرِيفٌ

أُطْرِبُ النَّاسَ بِأَقْوَالْ

أُطْرِبُ النَّاسَ بِأَقْوَالْ

And I am a witty fellow:

For I'm a polite gentleman

For I am a charming person

I delight people with words.

Who entertains people with words

Who delights people with words.