قُلْ لِلْخَليفَةِ يا ابْنَ عَمِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

قُلْ لِلْخَليفَةِ يا ابْنَ عَمِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

أَشْكِلْ وَزيرَكَ إِنَّهُ رَكَّالُ

أَشْكِلْ وَزيرَكَ إِنَّهُ رَكَّالُ

Tell the caliph: O cousin of Muhammad,

Say to the Caliph, O cousin of Muhammad,

Hobble your vizier; he is a habitual kicker.

Restrain your minister, he is a worthless man.

قَدْ أَحْجَمَ المُتَظَلِّمونَ مَخافَةً

قَدْ أَحْجَمَ المُتَظَلِّمونَ مَخافَةً

مِنْهُ وَقالوا ما نَرومُ مُحالُ

مِنْهُ وَقالوا ما نَرومُ مُحالُ

Those seeking redress have held back in fear

The oppressed have shrunk in fear of him,

of him, and said: What we seek is impossible

And said, "We dare not seek the impossible."

مَا دامَ مُطْلَقَةً عَلَيْنا رِجْلُهُ

مَا دامَ مُطْلَقَةً عَلَيْنا رِجْلُهُ

أَوْ دَامَ لِلْنَزِقِ الجَهولِ مَقَالُ

أَوْ دَامَ لِلْنَزِقِ الجَهولِ مَقَالُ

as long as his foot is free to strike us,

As long as his foot is free to kick us,

or the rash, ignorant man still has a say.

Or his ignorant tongue free to attack us,

قَدْ نَالَ مِنْ أَعْراضِنَا بِلِسَانِهِ

قَدْ نَالَ مِنْ أَعْراضِنَا بِلِسَانِهِ

وَلِرِجْلِهِ بَيْنَ الصُّدورِ مَجالُ

وَلِرِجْلِهِ بَيْنَ الصُّدورِ مَجالُ

He has assailed our honor with his tongue,

He has assailed our honor with his tongue,

and his foot has room to move among chests.

And with his foot stepped roughshod over our hearts.

إِمْنَعْهُ مِنْ رَكْلِ الرِّجَالِ وإِنْ تُرِدْ

إِمْنَعْهُ مِنْ رَكْلِ الرِّجَالِ وإِنْ تُرِدْ

مَالاً فَعِنْدَ وَزيرِكَ الأَمْوالُ

مَالاً فَعِنْدَ وَزيرِكَ الأَمْوالُ

Stop him from kicking men; and if you want

Stop him from kicking men, and if you want

money, the wealth is with your vizier.

Money, your minister has ample funds.