سَأَلوني عنِ البَيَّازِ وقالوا

سَأَلوني عنِ البَيَّازِ وقالوا

كيفَ تَدريهِ واللِّئام لِئامُ

كيفَ تَدريهِ واللِّئام لِئامُ

They asked me about al-Bayyaz and said:

They asked me about the grocer and said

“How do you know him, when scoundrels are scoundrels?”

How do you know him when the scoundrels are scoundrels

وجوابي لهم بكل اختِصارٍ

وجوابي لهم بكل اختِصارٍ

قَبَّحَ اللهُ سَعيَه والسَّلامُ

قَبَّحَ اللهُ سَعيَه والسَّلامُ

And my answer to them, in brief:

And my brief reply to them was

“May God disgrace his endeavors—and peace.”

May God make ugly his quest and peace