مَا تَرى النِّيلَ عَلَيْهِ

حَبكاً مِثْلَ الدُّرُوعِ

I could not see the Nile as on it

were plates of armor.

إِنَّما زَادَ لأَنِّي

فيهِ أَجْرَيْتُ دُمُوعي

Rather, my tears made it rise,

for I let my tears run free in it.