إني رأيتُ بظني

إني رأيتُ بظني

من كان كلباً ظَبياً

من كان كلباً ظَبياً

Indeed, in my imagining I saw

In my opinion I saw

one who was a dog as a gazelle.

One who was a wolf disguised

وكان شخصاً كريماً

وكان شخصاً كريماً

من الأناسي سويا

من الأناسي سويا

And he was a noble person,

And was a generous person

well-formed among human beings.

Among the decent people

ولم أجىء بالذي قل

ولم أجىء بالذي قل

ت فيه شياً فرِيّا

ت فيه شياً فرِيّا

And I did not bring forth, in what I said

And I did not say what I said

about him, anything outrageous.

In it anything absurd

ولا تقل فيه مسخ

ولا تقل فيه مسخ

تكن فتى عَرَبياً

تكن فتى عَرَبياً

And do not say he has undergone metamorphosis;

Nor call him a freak

then you will be an Arab youth.

Lest you be an Arab youth