1. شتان من قام ذا امتعاض

    منتضى الشفرتين نصلا

    How different is the man who rose in indignation,

    With a double-edged blade unsheathed,

  2. فجاب قفراً وشق بحراً

    مسامياً لجة ومحلا

    Then traversed a wilderness and cleaved a sea,

    Braving deep waters and drought,

  3. فشاد مجداً وبز ملكاً

    ومنبراً للخطاب فصلا

    And built glory and seized a kingdom,

    And a pulpit for decisive speech;

  4. وجند الجند حين أودى

    ومصر المصر حين أخلى

    And mustered the army when it had fallen into ruin,

    And built up the city when it lay deserted;

  5. ثم دعا أهله جميعاً

    حيث أنتأوا أن هلم أهلا

    Then summoned all his kin,

    Wherever they had gone afar: “Come, welcome!”

  6. فجاء هذا طريد جوع

    شريد سيف أباد قتلا

    So this man came, driven out by hunger,

    A wanderer fleeing a sword that annihilated through slaughter.

  7. فنال أمناً ونال شبعاً

    وحاز مالاً وضم شملا

    So he found safety and found his hunger sated,

    And acquired wealth and reunited his kin.

  8. ألم يكن حق ذا على ذا

    أعظم من منعم ومولى

    Was not this one's claim upon that one

    Greater than that of a benefactor and patron?