لَكَ يا صَديقي بَغلَةٌ

لَكَ يا صَديقي بَغلَةٌ

لَيسَت تُساوي خَردَلَه

لَيسَت تُساوي خَردَلَه

You have, my friend, a mule

You have a friend, my friend,

that is not worth a mustard seed.

Who's not worth a mustard seed.

تَمشي فَتَحسَبُها العُيو

تَمشي فَتَحسَبُها العُيو

نُ عَلى الطَريقِ مُشَكَّلَه

نُ عَلى الطَريقِ مُشَكَّلَه

She walks, and to the eyes she seems

You walk thinking he is right behind,

hobbled upon the road.

Turn and find the road empty.

وَتُخالُ مُدبِرَةً إِذا

وَتُخالُ مُدبِرَةً إِذا

ما أَقبَلَت مُستَعجِلَه

ما أَقبَلَت مُستَعجِلَه

And she seems to be retreating when

And when he comes towards you hurriedly,

she approaches in haste.

You'd think he was leaving from behind.

مِقدارُ خَطوَتِها الطَوي

مِقدارُ خَطوَتِها الطَوي

لَةِ حينَ تُسرِعُ أُنمُلَه

لَةِ حينَ تُسرِعُ أُنمُلَه

The span of her long stride,

The length of his tiny steps

when she hurries, is a fingertip’s length.

When he rushes is that of an ant.

تَهتَزُّ وَهيَ مَكانَها

تَهتَزُّ وَهيَ مَكانَها

فَكَأَنَّما هِيَ زَلزَلَه

فَكَأَنَّما هِيَ زَلزَلَه

She shakes while staying in place,

He shakes in his place

as though she were an earthquake.

As if he is an earthquake.

أَشبَهتَها بَل أَشبَهت

أَشبَهتَها بَل أَشبَهت

كَ كَأَنَّ بَينَكُما صِلَه

كَ كَأَنَّ بَينَكُما صِلَه

You resemble her—rather, she resembles

You compared him, or rather I compared

you, as though there were a bond between you two.

As if there's a connection between you two.

تَحكي صِفاتِكَ في الثَقا

تَحكي صِفاتِكَ في الثَقا

لَةِ وَالمَهانَةِ وَالبَلَه

لَةِ وَالمَهانَةِ وَالبَلَه

She mirrors your traits in sluggishness,

He embodies your traits of arrogance,

lowliness, and stupidity.

Humiliation, and stupidity.