See the rat–at least it’s got a hide,
but a man with no manners,
a man with no manners–
why doesn’t he just die!

See the rat–at least he’s got teeth,
but a man with no decorum,
a man with no decorum–
what’s keeping him! why doesn’t he die!

See the rat–at least it’s got legs,
but a man without courtesy,
a man without courtesy–
why doesn’t he hurry up and die!

translated by Burton Watson