قَد مَكَّنَ المَطلَ مِنَ الوَعدِ

وَسَلَّطَ المَنعَ عَلى الرِفدِ

He has enabled procrastination in promising,

And empowered prevention over giving.

عامِلُ دِمياطِ الَّذي كُلُّ مَن

عامَلَهُ يَخسَرُ في القَصدِ

The ruler of Dimyat, whom all who

Deal with lose out in their aim.

كَأَنَّهُ مُستَحلَفٌ أَنهُ

يَستَقبِلُ السائِلَ بِالرَدِّ

It is as though he swore an oath that

He would receive the beseecher with refusal.