يا إخوتي وأحبّتي

من كلّ ذي أدب وشيمه

O my brothers and loved ones

All people of manners and virtues

أين الوفا ورسومه

من كلّ ذي سمة كريمة

Where is loyalty and its customs

From all people of noble traits

أين السخا أين الذما

م لكل ملتمس ذميمه

Where is generosity, where is blame

For every seeker of his flaws

يا حسرتي وتأسّفي

صارت عزيزتنا هزيمه

Oh my sorrow and regret

Our dear one has become defeated

كنا نذمّ زماننا

ونرى مذّمته غنيمه

We used to blame our time

And see blaming it as gain

ونقول يأتي بعد ذا

زمن سجيّته سليمه

And say after this will come

A time of sound nature

صرنا نقول وقد أتى

زمن نوائبه عظيمه

We have come to say, and it has come

A time of great calamities

يا ليت قد بقي الزمان

على سجّيته القديمه

I wish time had remained

In its old nature