لحا اللَه كتابا بمنصورة الوالي

لحا اللَه كتابا بمنصورة الوالي

فهمتهم أن يسلبوا رأس أموالي

فهمتهم أن يسلبوا رأس أموالي

May God curse a letter from the governor at Mansura;

May God curse the scribes in the governor's Mansoura;

I took them to mean they would strip away the principal of my wealth.

For their aim is to rob me of my capital.

ألا بلغا عني المدير نصيحة

ألا بلغا عني المدير نصيحة

أتت ترتجى نيل المرام باقبال

أتت ترتجى نيل المرام باقبال

Hear me: you two, convey a word of counsel from me to the administrator—

Listen, you two: convey advice from me to the administrator;

counsel that has come hoping, through a gracious hearing, to attain its aim.

It has come hoping to attain its aim through a favorable reception.

أترضى بأهل الشرك فينا تحكموا

أترضى بأهل الشرك فينا تحكموا

وتمنح كتاب الضلال باجلال

وتمنح كتاب الضلال باجلال

Would you accept the people of polytheism lording it over us,

Are you content that the people of polytheism have assumed power among us,

and treat the scribes of error with honor,

And that you bestow honor upon the scribes of error,

وتسمن أولاد النصارى ببغيهم

وتسمن أولاد النصارى ببغيهم

وأهل التقى بين ذل وإهزال

وأهل التقى بين ذل وإهزال

fattening the Christians’ sons through their oppression,

And fatten the Christians' children through their oppression,

while the devout languish between humiliation and emaciation?

While the pious are caught between humiliation and emaciation?

تواصوا على أكل الحرام بخطهم

تواصوا على أكل الحرام بخطهم

وأقلامهم تزنى وتسرق أثقالي

وأقلامهم تزنى وتسرق أثقالي

In their writing they conspire to devour forbidden gain,

They urged one another to devour unlawful gain through their handwriting;

and their pens commit fornication and steal away my goods.

And their pens commit adultery and steal my belongings.

ترى هل مدير العدل يجهل حالهم

ترى هل مدير العدل يجهل حالهم

أم الحكم في الأدنى بعيد عن الوالي

أم الحكم في الأدنى بعيد عن الوالي

Do you think the administrator of justice is unaware of their condition,

Do you think the administrator of justice is ignorant of their condition,

or is governance at the lower level too remote from the governor?

Or is governance at the lower level far removed from the governor?