إِنَّ سُلطانَنا الَّذي نَرتَجيهِ

إِنَّ سُلطانَنا الَّذي نَرتَجيهِ

واسِعُ المالِ ضَيِّقُ الإِنفاقِ

واسِعُ المالِ ضَيِّقُ الإِنفاقِ

Indeed, our sultan, in whom we place our hopes,

Indeed, our sultan, in whom we place our hopes,

Has ample wealth, but is tight-fisted in spending.

Has abundant wealth but spends little.

هُوَ سَيفٌ كَما يُقالُ وَلكِن

هُوَ سَيفٌ كَما يُقالُ وَلكِن

قاطِعٌ لِلرُّسومِ وَالأَرزاقِ

قاطِعٌ لِلرُّسومِ وَالأَرزاقِ

He is a sword, as they say—but

He is a sword, as they say—and yet

One that cuts off customary grants and stipends.

One that cuts off customary allowances and livelihoods.