1. وكلّ على القلب مُستنكر

    ثقيل كدين على مُعسر

    And a burden on the heart, repugnant,

    Heavy as a debt upon an insolvent man.

  2. يسمّى طاهرا وهو لو خالطت

    نجاستهُ البحر لم يطهر

    He is called Tahir (“pure”), yet if

    His filth mingled with the sea, the sea would not become pure.

  3. وإبليس من قُبحه يستعيذُ

    على أنّهُ سيّءُ المنظر

    And Iblis seeks refuge from his ugliness,

    Though he himself is ugly to behold.

  4. ولو حمل الريحُ من بحره

    إلى عاطر الهند لم يعطر

    And if the wind carried anything from his sea

    To India’s perfumer, it would not become fragrant.