1. Hunger is cheered by provisions (jû‘ umidd bi-zâd) resembles t̤awâmîr, pl. of t̤âmûr, books, rolls, scrolls (= t̤awâ, hunger, + mîr, pass. of mâr, has been provided for).

2. A back (which is) looked askance at (z̤ahr aṣâbathu ‘ain) resembles mat̤â‘în, pl. of mat̤‘ûn, pierced with a lance (= mat̤â, back, + ‘în, pass. of ‘ân, is struck by the evil eye).

3. He met a gift (ṣâdaf jâ‘izah) resembles al-fâṣilah, fem. of al-fâsil, what separates two things (= alfâ, he found, + ṣilah, a gift).

4. Take a thousand gold coins (tanâwal alf dînâr) resembles hâdiyah, fem. of hâdî, one who guides aright (= hâ, take, + diyah, fine for bloodshed which amounts to 1,000 dînârs).

5. He neglects adornment (ahmal ḥilyah) resembles al-ghâshiyah, a saddle-cloth (= alghâ, he disregarded, + shiyah, finery).

6. Hold in! hold in! (ukfuf, ukfuf) resembles mahmah, a desert (= mah, stop, repeated for the sake of emphasis).

7. Brother fled (ash-shaqîq aflat) resembles akht̤âr, pl. of khat̤ar, dangers (= akh, brother, + t̤âr, he flew, took to flight).

8. He chose not silver (mâ akhtâr fiẓẓah (resembles abâriqah, pl. of ibrîq, pitchers (= abâ, he refused, + riqah, a silver coin).

9. Tread upon a crowd (das jamâ‘ah) resembles t̤âfiyah, fem. of t̤âfî, what floats on the water (= t̤â, for t̤a’, imp. of wat̤a‘, tread under foot, trample upon, + fiyah, for fi’ah, a troup of men).

10. Be still my uncle (khâlî uskut) resembles khâliṣah, fem. of khâliṣ, pure, sincere (= khâli, apocopated vocative of khâlî, my maternal uncle, + ṣah, hush!).

11. Take this (khuz tilk) resembles hâtîk, this woman (= hâ, take, as in the 4th riddle, + tîk, fem. of zâk, this).

12. An onager has been decked out (ḥimâr waḥsh zîn) resembles farâzîn, pl. of firzân, Queens in chess (= firâ, wild ass, + zîn, pass. of zân, he was adorned).

13. Spend lavishly, thou conquerest then (infaq taqma‘) resembles muntaqim, one who avenges himself (= mun, imp. of mân, spend on provisions, + taqim, aor. of waqam, thou subduest).

14. Sniff in the perfume of grape-wine (istanshi rîḥ mudâmah) re­sembles raḥrâḥ, vast, wide, ample (= raḥ, imp. of râḥ, smell, + râḥ, one of the names of wine).

15. Shield the ruined (ghat̤t̤i halká) resembles ṣunbûr, an isolated palm-tree, a word also of various meanings (= ṣun, imp. of ṣân, shelter, protect, preserve, + bûr, pl. of bâ’ir, doomed to destruction).

16. He travelled a while at night (sâr bi’l-lail muddah) resembles saraḥîn, pl. of sirḥân, wolves (= sará, he fared at night, + ḥîn, time).

17. Love a coward (iḥbab farûqah) resembles miqlâ‘, a sling (= miq, imp. of wamiq, be in love with, + lâ‘, timid, pusillanimous).

18. Give a crock deprived of the handle-part (a‘t̤i ibrîq yalûḥ bighair ‘urwah) resembles uskûb, flowing, shed (= us, imp. of âs, bestow, + kûb, a mug without handle).

19. I own the bullock (as̤-s̤aur milkî) resembles al-laâlî, pl. of lu’lu’, the pearls (= al-la‘â, the wild ox, + lî, to me, mine).

20. Whiz of a muzzle (ṣafîr jaḥfalah) resembles mukâshafah, un­covering, disclosing (= mukâ, a whistling sound, produced by blowing into one’s hand, + shafah, lip).