ماذا جَناهُ كِتابي فاستَحقَّ به

سِجناً طَويلاً وتَغييباً عَنِ الناسِ

What crime has my book committed, to deserve

a long imprisonment and banishment from the people?

فاطلِقهُ نَسألهُ عمَّا كانَ حلَّ به

في طولِ سجنِكَ من ضُرٍّ ومن باسِ

Release it; let us ask it what befell it

during its long confinement by you—among guards and cruelty.