مالي رَأَيتُكَ لَستَ تُثمِرُ طَيِّباً

مالي رَأَيتُكَ لَستَ تُثمِرُ طَيِّباً

عَذباً وَأَصلُكَ هاشِمِيُّ المَغرِسِ

عَذباً وَأَصلُكَ هاشِمِيُّ المَغرِسِ

Why do I see you bearing no good fruit—

I have not seen you bear sweet fruit

No sweet fruit—though your roots are of Hashimite stock?

Pure though your root was planted by Hashim

حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ نِقمَةٌ في نِعمَةٍ

حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ نِقمَةٌ في نِعمَةٍ

أَو غُصنُ شَوكٍ في حَديقَةِ نَرجِسِ

أَو غُصنُ شَوكٍ في حَديقَةِ نَرجِسِ

So that you seem an affliction amid a blessing,

As if you were a curse in a blessing

Or a thorny branch in a garden of narcissus.

Or a thorny branch in a narcissus garden