1. غَنتكَ أَغماتية الأَلحان

    ثقَلَت عَلى الأَرواحِ وَالأَبدانِ

    An Aghmati woman sang melodies to you;

    they weighed heavily upon souls and bodies.

  2. قَد كانَ كالثُعبان رُمحُكَ في الوَغى

    فَغَدا عَلَيكَ القَيدُ كالثُعبانِ

    Your spear in battle had been like a serpent;

    then the chain upon you became like a serpent—

  3. مُتَمَدّداً يَحميكَ كُلّ تعدّدٍ

    مُتَعَطِّفاً لا رَحمَةً لِلعاني

    the first outstretched, guarding you against every assault;

    the second curving round, with no mercy for the captive.

  4. قَلبي إِلى الرَحمانِ يَشكو بَثَّهُ

    ما خابَ مَن يَشكو إِلى الرَحمانِ

    My heart complains of its anguish to the All-Merciful;

    none who complains to the All-Merciful is disappointed.

  5. يا سائِلاً عَن شأنهِ وَمَكانهِ

    ما كانَ أَغنى شأنَهُ عَن شاني

    O you who ask about his state and his place,

    how far his former state was from this state of mine!

  6. هاتيكَ قَينَتهُ وَذَلِكَ قصرُهُ

    مِن بَعد أَيّ مَقاصرٍ وَقيّانِ

    Yonder is his singing-girl, and yonder his palace—

    after what palace chambers, what singing-girls!

  7. مِن بعدِ كُلِّ عَزيزةٍ روميَّةٍ

    تَحكي الحَمائِم في ذرى الأَغصانِ

    after every cherished Roman woman

    who imitated the doves high among the branches.