إِلَيكَ صَلاحُ الدينِ مَولايَ أَشتَكي
زَماناً عَلى الحُرِّ الكَريمِ يَجورُ
To you, Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn, my lord, I bring my grievance:
an age that oppresses the noble and free.
تُرى أُبصِرُ الأَلفَ الَّتي كُنتَ واعِدي
بِها في يَدي قَبلَ المَماتِ تَصيرُ
Do you think I shall see the thousand you promised me
come into my hand before I die?
وَهَيهاتَ وَالإِفرِنجُ بَينِ وَبَينَكُم
سِياجُ قَتيلٍ دونَهُ وَأَسيرُ
How unlikely—when the Franks, between me and you,
are a barrier, before which men are slain or captured.
وَمِن عَجَبِ الأَيّامِ أَنَّكَ ذو غِنىً
بِمِصرَ وَأَنّي في دِمَشقَ فَقيرُ
Among the wonders of the times is that you are wealthy
in Egypt, while I am poor in Damascus.
Sol 5.6