1. ما ناشرٌ ذو مخالي

    بَ لم يُنَطْنَ بظُفرِهْ

    What spreader has claws

    that have not been fastened to his nail?

  2. يبغي فينشُرُ مكراً

    يطويه من بعد نشرِهْ

    He seeks, and so unfolds a stratagem,

    which he folds up after unfolding it.

  3. له مكايدُ شرٍّ

    وخيرُه قبلَ شرِّهْ

    He has schemes of evil,

    and his good precedes his evil.

  4. ينال بسط يديه

    بضمّ ما تحت صدرِهْ

    He gains the outstretching of his two hands

    by drawing together what is beneath his breast.

  5. يعدو بِرَقٍّ خبيث

    لحِلِّه ولطُهرِهْ

    He runs with foul thin hide,

    for its lawfulness and its purity.

  6. شطرين يمشي بشطرٍ

    وشطره فوق مُهرِهْ

    In two halves, he walks with one half,

    and his other half is upon his foal,

  7. على أقبَّ خفيفٍ

    محمَّلٍ فوق وِقْرِهْ

    on a lean, light mount,

    laden beyond its burden.

  8. طوراً له هو ظهرٌ

    وتارةً فوق ظهرِهْ

    At times it is a back for him,

    and at times it is upon his back.

  9. فيا لريّانَ غضِّ ال

    معاش معْ طول ضُرِّهْ

    So marvel at one well-quenched, with a luxuriant

    livelihood, despite his long distress!