وَشَيخٍ يَحومُ عَلى نَسلِ حامِ

يُحِبُّ الظَلامَ لِلَونِ الظَلامِ

An old man hovering over the progeny of Ham

He loves the darkness for the sake of its darkness

إِذا ما التَقيتَ بِهِ راكِباً

يُقَفِّزُ بَغلَتَهُ في الزِحامِ

When you meet him riding

He makes his mule leap through the crowds

تَأَمَّلتَ أَحمَقَ مَن بِالعِراقِ

وَأَبصَرتَ أَرقَعَ مَن بِالشَآمِ

You look at the most stupid in Iraq

And you see the most patched-up in the Levant