كانوا إذا قبلوا الرِشا

كانوا إذا قبلوا الرِشا

ولّوا لعلمٍ أو نسبْ

ولّوا لعلمٍ أو نسبْ

In former times, when they accepted bribes,

They used to, when bribed,

they appointed men for learning or lineage.

Favor knowledge or lineage,

واليومَ مصرُ كما ترى

واليومَ مصرُ كما ترى

واللّهِ أفحشُ مِنْ حَلَبْ

واللّهِ أفحشُ مِنْ حَلَبْ

But today Egypt, as you see,

Yet Egypt today, as you see,

is, by God, more disgraceful than Aleppo.

By God, more shameless than prostitution.