وَنَحوِيٍّ تَكَلَّمَ في أَقاحٍ

وَنَحوِيٍّ تَكَلَّمَ في أَقاحٍ

فَأَنبَتَ في قَفاهُ الصَفعُ وَردا

فَأَنبَتَ في قَفاهُ الصَفعُ وَردا

And a grammarian spoke of daisies;

A grammarian talked nonsense

So slapping made roses bloom on the back of his neck.

So a slap grew roses on his cheek

فَثَغرُ الأُقحُوانِ لَهُ اِبتِسامٌ

فَثَغرُ الأُقحُوانِ لَهُ اِبتِسامٌ

يُحَجِّلُ عُنقَهُ إِذ صارَ خَدّا

يُحَجِّلُ عُنقَهُ إِذ صارَ خَدّا

So the daisy's mouth has a smile

The corners of his mouth smile

That adorns his neck with white, now that it has become a cheek.

As his neck blushes becoming a cheek

فَلا تَشلَل يَدٌ فَتَكَت بِهِ إِذ

فَلا تَشلَل يَدٌ فَتَكَت بِهِ إِذ

رَأَينا كَفَّ لَيثٍ صَكَّ قِردا

رَأَينا كَفَّ لَيثٍ صَكَّ قِردا

So may the hand that attacked him never be paralyzed, for

So no hand should droop to hit him when

We saw a lion's paw slap a monkey.

We see the paw of a lion slap a monkey