لَنا صاحِبٌ مولَعٌ بِالخِلافِ

لَنا صاحِبٌ مولَعٌ بِالخِلافِ

كَثيرُ الخَطاءِ قَليلُ الصَوابِ

كَثيرُ الخَطاءِ قَليلُ الصَوابِ

We have a companion obsessed with disagreement,

We have a friend obsessed with conflict

Often wrong, seldom right,

Full of mistakes, scarce in rectitude

أَشَدُّ لَجاجاً مِنَ الخُنفُساءِ

أَشَدُّ لَجاجاً مِنَ الخُنفُساءِ

وَأَزهى إِذا ما مَشى مِن غُرابِ

وَأَزهى إِذا ما مَشى مِن غُرابِ

More obstinate than a beetle,

More stubborn than a lizard

And prouder, when he walks, than a crow.

And more repulsive when he walks than a crow

إِذا ذَكَروا عِندَهُ عالِماً

إِذا ذَكَروا عِندَهُ عالِماً

رَبا حَسَداً أَو رَماهُ بِعابِ

رَبا حَسَداً أَو رَماهُ بِعابِ

When they mention a scholar in his presence,

When scholars are mentioned in his presence

He swells with envy or assails him with reproach.

Perhaps out of envy, he berates them

وَلَيسَ مِنَ العِلمِ في كَفِّهِ

وَلَيسَ مِنَ العِلمِ في كَفِّهِ

إِذا ذُكِرَ العِلمُ غَيرُ التُرابِ

إِذا ذُكِرَ العِلمُ غَيرُ التُرابِ

And he holds no knowledge in his hand,

Yet of knowledge, there is none in his palm

When knowledge is mentioned, save dust:

When knowledge is mentioned, naught but dust

أَضاليلُ جَمَّعُها شَوكَرٌ

أَضاليلُ جَمَّعُها شَوكَرٌ

وَأُخرى مُوَلَّدَةً لِاِبنِ دابِ

وَأُخرى مُوَلَّدَةً لِاِبنِ دابِ

Falsehoods compiled by Shawkar,

Misconceptions gathered by Shawkat

And other fabrications of Ibn Dab.

And others forged by Ibn Dabi