1. O you who ask about my people
When he saw the humility of their scholars
١. يا أيها السَائلُ عن قومِنا
لمَّا رأى بِزَّةَ أحبارِهِمْ
2. And the beauty of their composure apparently
Their proclamation is not like their secrets
٢. وحُسن سَمْتٍ منهمُ ظاهراً
إعلانهُم ليس كأسرارهمْ
3. Ask whoever asks about them, red or other
To inform you about my people and their news
٣. سائل ْ بهم أحمر أو غيَره
يُنبيك عن قومي وأخبارهمْ
4. A generous people, except that
Their aggression among them is upon their neighbor
٤. قومٌ كرامٌ ما عدا أنهم
صَوْلَتُهم منهم على جارهِمْ
5. A lion against the enemy neighbors
Safe those who reside in their homes
٥. أسدٌ على الجيرانِ أعداؤهم
آمنةٌ تخطرُ في دارهمْ
6. If their neighbor came to them needing fire
They would not let him take fire from theirs
٦. لو جاءهم مقتبساً جارُهُم
ما قَبَسوهُ الدهرَ من نارِهِمْ
7. We have abandoned them and did not fear
That they would embark on the path of their strings
٧. وقد وَتَرناهُم ولم نَخشَ من
ينهضُ في سيرةِ أوتارهمْ
8. The best of people to their loyalists
If they make it easy one day for their easiness
٨. أحسنُ قومٍ لمواليهمُ
إن أيسروا يوماً لأيسارِهمْ
9. False testimony is their habit
Truly it is the worth of their nobles
٩. شهادةُ الزورِ لهم عادة
حقا بها قيمةُ أخيارِهمْ
10. They have no glory but a mosque
With which they exceeded their bounds
١٠. ما لهم مجدٌ سوى مسجدٍ
به تعدَّوا فوقَ أطوارهمْ
11. If the mosque were demolished they would not know
One day and their news would not be heard
١١. لو هُدِمَ المسجدُ لم يعرفوا
يوماً ولم يُسمع بأخبارهمْ