لَولا القَديمُ وَحُرمَةٌ مَرعِيَّةٌ

لَقَطَعتُ ما بَيني وَبَينَ هِشامِ

Had it not been for olden ways and sacred ties

I would have severed all between Hisham and I

لا حُرمَةَ الأَدَبِ القَديمِ يَحوطُها

وَأَراهُ يَجهَلُ حُرمَةَ الإِسلامِ

No reverence for time-honoured literature moves him

Though I see he has no reverence for Islam's sanctity

فَكَأَنَّما كانَت مَوَدَّتُنا لَهُ

وَإِخاؤُنا حُلماً مِنَ الأَحلامِ

So it seems our friendship and brotherhood

Were but a dream of dreams

وَتَصَرُّفُ الإِخوانِ إِن كَشَّفتَهُم

يُنسيكَ طولَ تَصَرُّفِ الأَيّامِ

And when you see how brothers really act

You forget how long the days have schemed