عَذيري مِن بَني مِصرٍ فَإِنّي

أَفَدتُهُمُ العُلومَ وَلا فَخارُ

My excuse from the people of Egypt, for I

Enriched them with knowledge, yet no pride

أَقَمتُ بِمِصرِهِم سِتِينَ عاماً

فَلَم يخلص لِيَ فيهِنَّ جارُ

I stayed in their country for sixty years

But no true friend emerged by my side

وَفارَقتُ الأَنامَ وَفارَقوني

فَها أَنا لا أَزورُ وَلا أُزارُ

I parted from people and they parted from me

So here I am, no longer sharing their plight

فَإِن ماتُوا فَلا أَسَفٌ عَلَيهم

وَإِن مُتنا فَقَد ماتَ الخيارُ

If they die, I shall not grieve over them

If I die, the best of men have lost their light