إلى الله أشكو الذي نحن فيه

أسىً لا يُنَهنِهُ منهُ الأسى

I complain to God of what we are in

Sorrow that sorrow does not dispel

على مثلها فلتشقَّ القلوبُ

مكانَ الجيوبِ وإلا فلا

Over the likes of it, so let the hearts split

Instead of pockets, or else no

فشا الظلمَ واغترَّ أشياعُهُ

ولا مُسْتَغاثٌ ولا مُشْتَكى

Oppression has spread and its factions have dared

With no one to appeal to or complain to

وساد الطَّغَامُ بتمويههمْ

وهل يَفْدَحُ الرزءُ إلا كذا

And the tyranny of the oppressors has prevailed with their plotting

Does calamity ever cease to spread thus?

وطالت خُطَاهُم إلى التُّرَّهاتِ

ألا قصّرَ الله تلك الخطا

And their steps have extended to encroachments

If only God would shorten those steps!

وأعْجَبُ كيفَ نضلُّ السبيلَ

ولم نأتِهِ واهتدته القطا

And I wonder how we lose the way

When we did not take it, yet the partridges found it

وكيف تَضاحَكُ هذي الرياضُ

وكيف يصوبُ الغمامُ الحصى

And how these meadows can laugh

And how the clouds can pelt the pebbles

وهيهات لم يعتمدْ أن يجودَ

ولكن لما نحن فيه بكى

And never, it was not expected he would be generous

But because of what we are in, he wept

وماذا بحمصٍ من المضحكاتِ

ولكنَّه ضحكٌ كالبكا

And what in Homs is there to laugh about

Yet it is a laughter like weeping

وذا اليومُ حَمَّلنا فادحاً

خَضَعْنا له وانتظرنا غدا

And this day has burdened us heavily

We submitted to it and awaited tomorrow

وَنُغْضِي على حُكْم صَرْفِ الزمان

وبين الجوانح جَمْرُ الغَضَا

And we swallow despite the decree of time

With embers in our breasts because of sorrow

ويا رُبَّ إلبٍ على المسلمين

زَوَى الحقَّ عن أهله فانْزَوى

And O Lord of the plea to the Muslims

Truth has avoided its people so avoid it

هو الكلبُ أَسَّدَهُ جَهْلُهُ

وطال فخالُوْهُ ليثَ الثَّرى

It is the dog made fierce by its ignorance

And its audacity has lasted, a lion of the land

وراعهمُ زأرُهُ فيهمُ

ولو كانَ في غيرهمْ ما عوى

And its roar intimidates them

If it were among others it would not have roared

كفاهُ الهوانُ احتقارَ الهوان

فسنَّ الأذَى باحْتِمالِ الأذى

Scorn has sufficed it, scorn for scorn

So it instituted harm by enduring harm

تهاونَ باللهِ والمسلمين

وقد كان في واحدٍ ما كفى

It made light of God and the Muslims

And in one thing it has done enough

وقد خلعَ الدينَ خَلْعَ النَجادِ

وقد أكل الدِّينَ أكلَ الرِّبا

And it has taken religion off like a loincloth

And it has eaten religion like usury

فمرآه في كلِّ عينٍ قذى

وذكراهُ في كلِّ حلقٍ شَجَا

So it is something repugnant in every eye

And its mention catches every throat

إذا سُئِلَ العَسْفَ بالمسلمين

فأَجْوَدُ من حاتمٍ بالقرى

If it is asked to show compassion to the Muslims

It is more generous than Hatim with the neighbours

وإن أمكنتْ منهمُ فُرْصَةٌ

فأَفْتَكُ من خالدٍ بالعدا

And if it finds among them an opportunity

It is more ruthless than Khalid with the enemies

ولا بدَّ للحقِّ مِنْ دُوْلةٍ

تُميتُ الضَّلالَ وتُحْيي الهُدى

And the truth must have a state

To kill error and give life to guidance

فيا سحرَ فرعونَ ماذا تقول

إذا جاءَ موسى وأَلقى العصا

So, O Pharaoh's sorcery, what do you say

When Moses comes and hurls down his staff?

وقد عزَّ في مَنْعِ سلطانه

كُلَيْبٌ فكيفَ رأيتَ الحِمَى

And it has become mighty in depriving its authority

As if a dog, yet have you seen the sanctuary?

وإنَّ أمامك لو قد علمتَ

أشياءَ أَيسرهنَّ الرَّدَى

And indeed, before you, if you knew

The easiest is perdition

فَمَا غَفَلَ اللهُ عن أُمّةٍ

ولا تَرَكَ اللهُ شيئاَ سُدى

God has not neglected any community

Nor has God left anything to waste away

وعاقِبةُ الظلمِ ما قد سَمِعْتَ

وعَايَنْتَ لو نَهْنَهَتْكَ النُّهَى

And the consequence of injustice is what you have heard

And seen, if prudent advice had availed you

أيا أهلَ حمصٍ وقِدْماً دعوتُ

وهل تسْمعونَ إلى من دعا

O people of Homs! Of old I called you

Do you listen to one who calls?

يَقلُّ لأقداركمْ كلُّ شيءٍ

فكيفَ رضيتمْ بدون الرِّضى

Everything is too little for your valor

So how can you be content without being content?

أَلا قد لحنتُ لكم فاسمعوا

وحاجَيْتُ إن كان يُغني الحجا

Lo, I have sung to you, so listen!

And I have contended, if contends avails