أَخَفُّ مِن لا شَيءَ في سَجدَتِهِ

أَخَفُّ مِن لا شَيءَ في سَجدَتِهِ

كَأَنَّهُ يُلسَعُ في جَبهَتِه

كَأَنَّهُ يُلسَعُ في جَبهَتِه

He is lighter than nothing in his prostration,

Lighter than nothing in his prostration

As though he were being stung on his forehead.

As if stung on his forehead

وَشَيخُ سوءٍ ذاكَ عِلمي بِهِ

وَشَيخُ سوءٍ ذاكَ عِلمي بِهِ

يَمري عَلى الإِخوانَ مِن نَكهَتِه

يَمري عَلى الإِخوانَ مِن نَكهَتِه

And a wicked old man—that is what I know of him.

That wicked old man I know him

He provokes his brethren with his breath.

Passing by the brothers with his expression

وَدَيدَبانٌ فَوقَ ساباطِهِ

وَدَيدَبانٌ فَوقَ ساباطِهِ

وَالناسُ مُنغِضونَ عَن وَقفَتِه

وَالناسُ مُنغِضونَ عَن وَقفَتِه

And a watchman above his covered passage,

And lice above his head covering

And people shake their heads at his stance.

While people avert their gaze from his station

تَسَدَّرَ التُفّاحُ في خَدِّهِ

تَسَدَّرَ التُفّاحُ في خَدِّهِ

وَنَوَّرَ السَوسَنُ في لِحيَتِه

وَنَوَّرَ السَوسَنُ في لِحيَتِه

Apples have spread across his cheek,

Apples cascading on his cheek

And irises have blossomed in his beard.

Lilies blossoming in his beard

وَقَد أَتانا بِبَراهينِهِ

وَقَد أَتانا بِبَراهينِهِ

وَما نَرى البُرهانَ في حُجَّتِه

وَما نَرى البُرهانَ في حُجَّتِه

And indeed he has come to us with his proofs,

He brought us his proofs

Yet we see no proof in his argument.

Yet we see no proof in his claim

وَوَرِثَ الهاضومَ عَن جَدِّهِ

وَوَرِثَ الهاضومَ عَن جَدِّهِ

وَعَن أَبيهِ فَهوَ في رُتبَتِه

وَعَن أَبيهِ فَهوَ في رُتبَتِه

And he inherited the digestive remedy from his grandfather,

Inheriting the swindler from his grandfather

And from his father, so he holds his rank.

And from his father so he holds his rank

ذاكَ دَواءٌ جَيِّدٌ نافِعٌ

ذاكَ دَواءٌ جَيِّدٌ نافِعٌ

يُصلِحُ ما يَشكوهُ مِن مِعدَتِه

يُصلِحُ ما يَشكوهُ مِن مِعدَتِه

That is a good, beneficial medicine:

That is excellent, beneficial medicine

It remedies what he complains of in his stomach.

Which cures whatever ails his stomach