لما رأيت جباه قوم في الثرى

لما رأيت جباه قوم في الثرى

وشفاهم تدلى إلى الأعتاب

وشفاهم تدلى إلى الأعتاب

When I saw people's foreheads in the dust,

When I saw the foreheads of a people in the dust

and their lips hanging down toward the thresholds,

And their lips hanging on thresholds

وسمعت في طنطا ضراعة قائل

وسمعت في طنطا ضراعة قائل

يا أيها البدوىّ فرّج ما بى

يا أيها البدوىّ فرّج ما بى

and heard in Tanta a speaker's humble plea:

And heard in Tanta the supplication of one saying

“O al-Badawi, relieve what ails me!”

"O Bedouin, relieve what is in me"

ولقيت في الحنفى من يسعى له

ولقيت في الحنفى من يسعى له

برسالة مفتوحة وكتاب

برسالة مفتوحة وكتاب

and at al-Hanafi's I met someone making his way to him

And I met in Hanafy one who was striving for him

with an open letter and a written message,

With an open letter and a book

وشهدت في روما كنيسة بطرس

وشهدت في روما كنيسة بطرس

يبلى الشفاه بها حديد الباب

يبلى الشفاه بها حديد الباب

and saw in Rome the church of Peter,

And witnessed in Rome the Church of St. Peter

where the door's iron wears out lips,

Where lips wear out the iron of the gate

وعلمت أن من القسوس مؤلَّها

وعلمت أن من القسوس مؤلَّها

يرجى لمغفرة وحسن مآب

يرجى لمغفرة وحسن مآب

and learned that among the priests was one held divine,

And I knew that among the priests are those

looked to for forgiveness and a good final abode,

Who hope for forgiveness and goodly reward

أيقنت أن الخلق ضلوا ربهم

أيقنت أن الخلق ضلوا ربهم

يا رب لا تأخذهم بعذاب

يا رب لا تأخذهم بعذاب

I knew for certain that humankind had lost sight of their Lord.

I was certain that people had lost their Lord

O Lord, do not seize them with punishment.

O Lord, take them not with torment