ذلي بقاهرةِ المُعزِّ فليتَ أن

سَعيي إليها كان أصبحَ قهقَرى

In Cairo, city of glory, would that

My efforts to reach it had retreated!

وخمولُ قَدري من يديَّ لأننَّي

لا أرتضي للِمدحِ إِلاَّ أَكبرا

My stagnant fate is out of my hands, for

I accept nothing less than the greatest for praise

عُرِضَ الأَنامُ جميعُهم فَرأيتهُم

عَرَضاً فَعنهُم صُنتُ هذا الجَوهَرا

All of mankind was presented before me, and I saw

That next to them, I guarded this jewel.