وَكَيفَ بِأَن يُلقى سلاحيَ مَتنَهُ

لِأَسيافِ إِفرِنج وَأَقلامِ أَقباطِ

How can I lay down my arms

Before the swords of Franks and pens of Copts?

تُوَطَّأُ أَعناقٌ فَتَنمي حُقودُها

وَهَل هِيَ بِالمَوطوءِ ما فَعَلَ الواطي

Necks are trodden so their rancor grows,

As if the trodden did the treading.

تَقاذَفَ أَمواجُ البِلادِ بِأَهلِها

فَلا الناسُ في قَعرٍ وَلا الأَمرُ في شاطي

The waves of the country toss its people about,

With no shelter on shore or at sea.

تَعَطَّلَ مَسئولٌ لَدَيهِم وَسائِلٌ

فَلا اليَدُ مِن مُعطٍ وَلا الخَيرُ مِن عاطِ

Those responsible are disabled, though means exist,

As neither the generous hand gives nor the good heart feels compassion.

فَثوبوا لَها إِنَّ القِيامَةَ قَد دَنَت

وَجاءَت بِأَشراطٍ عَلى إِثرِ أَشراطِ

Return, for the day of reckoning has drawn near

And one apocalypse follows another.

صَحِبتُ عَلى الحالَينِ دَهري بِحالَةٍ

فَما سَرَّ إِرضائي وَلا ساءَ إِسخاطي

Throughout my life my state has been the same,

Pleasing me doesn't bring joy, displeasing me doesn't cause misery.

وَبَسطاً لِعُذري في المَقالِ فَإِنَّها

خَواطِرُ مَفروطٍ وَأَفكارُ إِفراطِ

Excuse my outspokenness, for these are

The thoughts of one carried away and the ideas of an extremist.