دخلت السجن محسودا عليه

دخلت السجن محسودا عليه

كذلك يسجن الرجل الشريف

كذلك يسجن الرجل الشريف

I entered prison, envied for it.

I entered prison envied,

Thus is the honorable man imprisoned.

Thus is imprisoned the virtuous man.

يهنّي بعضنا بالسجن بعضا

يهنّي بعضنا بالسجن بعضا

كأن السجن للشرفا وظيف

كأن السجن للشرفا وظيف

We congratulate one another on imprisonment,

We congratulate each other on imprisonment,

As though prison were a post for honorable men.

As if prison is the duty of the honorable.

فكم حط الوظائف من خسيس

فكم حط الوظائف من خسيس

وكم رفع السجون فتى عفيف

وكم رفع السجون فتى عفيف

For how many a base man has debased offices,

So many vile men lowered positions,

And how many a virtuous youth has ennobled prisons!

And so many prisons raised a chaste man.