لا والزبيب ومزة من حمص

والورد والتسبيح من متبلبص

No—by the raisins and a snack of chickpeas,

and by the litany and praise of God from a goggling man,

وريالة تجرى على شفة التقى

إن قيل قم في حلقة الذكرى أرقص

and by drool running over piety's lip,

if told, 'Rise in the circle of remembrance—dance!'

والضرب في طول الجيوب وعرضها

بتلطف وتحيل وتلصص

and by rifling pockets along their length and breadth,

with gentleness, trickery, and stealthy thieving,

والطعن في الوطن العزيز وأهله

والمدح في قرع الوكيل الإهجص

and by assailing the beloved homeland and its people,

and by lauding the buffoonish deputy's bald pate:

ما الشاذّلي وإن تفندل فرعه

إلا محل كرامة كالقمص

Al-Shadhili, though his offshoot has put on airs,

is but an object of honor, like the archpriest.

نزل البنون إلى الحضيض يِجدّهم

من بعد ما وطئ السها بالأخمص

The sons sank to the depths with their forebear,

after he had trodden Suha with the arch of his foot.