يا مَنْ يعيبُ لدينا الراحَ مجتهداً

أسأتَ قولاً وقد أحسنْتَ في العملِ

O you who find fault with our land as zealous,

You spoke ill though did well in deed,

تركْتَها مُؤثراً للأكرمينَ بها

وعبتَها عيبَ ذي جهلٍ وذي خطلِ

You left it preferring the most generous in it,

And found fault in it, a fault of ignorance and folly,

فبُؤْ بحمدٍ وذمّ تستحقُّهما

كما خَلَطْتَ الذي أسْدَيتَ بالعذلِ

So make amends with praise and blame you deserve,

As you have mingled what you poured with honey and vinegar,

ما كنتَ إلا كساقٍ خاضَ مِجْدَحُه

شوباً من الصابِ في شربٍ من العسلِ

You were but as one who waded into his glory

Adding some bitterness to a drink of honey.