غَلَتِ الأَشياءُ حَتّى الكَش

غَلَتِ الأَشياءُ حَتّى الكَش

خُ في هَذا الحِصارِ

خُ في هَذا الحِصارِ

Everything grew dear, even the pimp,

Things became expensive even trash

in this siege.

in this siege

كانَ عَهدي بِاِبنِ حَمّا

كانَ عَهدي بِاِبنِ حَمّا

دٍ لِإِفراطِ البَوارِ

دٍ لِإِفراطِ البَوارِ

I remember Ibn Hammad,

My acquaintance with the son of Hammad

driven by an utter lack of custom,

was due to his excessive generosity

وَهوَ يَغدو يَطلُبُ الأَع

وَهوَ يَغدو يَطلُبُ الأَع

مالَ في زِيِّ التِجّارِ

مالَ في زِيِّ التِجّارِ

going out in the morning seeking work,

And he would go out seeking livelihood in the attire of businessmen

in the garb of merchants,

Content with it, not complaining of meagerness

راضِياً مِنها وَما يَق

راضِياً مِنها وَما يَق

نَعُ مِنها بِالصِغارِ

نَعُ مِنها بِالصِغارِ

content with it, yet unwilling to settle

When Egypt became filled

for its small jobs,

with masters of slave girls

حينَ صارَ المِصرُ مَش

حينَ صارَ المِصرُ مَش

حوناً بِأَربابِ الجَواري

حوناً بِأَربابِ الجَواري

when the city had become filled

Then they disappeared, so it took charge

with owners of slave girls.

in confusion and power

ثُمَّ غابوا فَتَوَلّا

ثُمَّ غابوا فَتَوَلّا

ها بِتيهٍ وَاقتِدارِ

ها بِتيهٍ وَاقتِدارِ

Then they disappeared, and he took charge

And when generosity became scarce descend

of it with haughtiness and power.

upon the governance of the deceitful

وَإِذا عَزَّ الكِرا فَاِن

وَإِذا عَزَّ الكِرا فَاِن

زِل عَلى حُكمِ المُكاري

زِل عَلى حُكمِ المُكاري

And when hire grows dear, then

submit to the muleteer's terms.