أَشُمُّ بِبابِلَ بَوَّ الصَغارِ

وَلَو أَنا بِالرَملِ لَم أَفعَلِ

I smell the scent of youth in Babylon

Even if I were amidst the sand, I would not have done so

وَأَلقى التَحِيّاتِ مِن مَعشَرٍ

كَما اِرتَجَمَ الحَيُّ بِالجَندَلِ

And extend greetings from a group

As the alive translated with the locust

وَأَنزِلُ في القَومِ أَقلالَهُم

وَلَولا الحَضارَةُ لَم أَنزِلِ

And I unload unto the people their provisions

If not for civilization, I would not have unloaded

وَلَو كُنتُ راكِبَ هَذا الجَوادِ

بِوادي القَرينَةِ لَم أَرحَلِ

And if I were rider of this steed

In the valley of companionship, I would not have journeyed

وَلَو مُدَّ لي طُنُبٌ بِالفَلا

حَماني لِداغَ القَنا الذُبَّلِ

And if the firewood were extended to me in the open desert

It would protect me from the bite of the slender serpent

وَأُسرَةِ عِزٍّ طِوالِ القَنا

إِذا نَزَلَ الذُلُّ قالوا اِرحَلِ

And family of enduring honor

When disgrace descends they say: “Journey!”

مُهَجَّنَةٍ أَصطَلي نارَها

وَعَزَّ عَلى الرَجُلِ المُصطَلي

Of mixed breed, I kindled its fire

And it was difficult for the man who kindled

وَلَو شُوِّرَ السَيفُ في مِثلِها

لَقالَ أَطِعني وَلا تَقبَلِ

And if the sword were consulted about the likes of it

It would say: “Thrust me and do not accept”

فَلَو كُنتُ مِن شاهِديها رَأَي

تُ هُوِيَّ الرُؤوسِ عَلى الأَرجُلِ

So if I were among its witnesses

You would see the heads falling upon the feet

مَقامٌ يُدَنِّسُ عِرضَ الأَبِيِّ

وَيَلعَبُ بِالقُلَّبِ الحُوَّلِ

A standing which defiles the honor of the respectable

And plays tricks upon the fickle

وَلَو كُنتُ ذا هِمَّةٍ حُرَّةٍ

لَرَحَّلَني الضَيمُ عَن مَنزِلي

And if I were of free will

Injustice would have made me depart from my abode

وَكَيفَ تَقَلُّبُ ذي هِمَّةٍ

وَقَد لُزَّ بِالقَرَنِ الأَطوَلِ

And how can one of free will waver

When he is equipped with the longest spear

أَآبى وَلا حَدُّ أَسطو بِهِ

وَأَينَ الإِباءُ مِنَ الأَعزَلِ

I refused and there is no limit to withstand with it

And where is refusal from the helpless?

تُرى الجاهِلِيَّةُ أَحمى لَنا

وَأَنأى عَنِ المَوقِفِ الأَرذَلِ

You see the Age of Ignorance more protective of us

And farther from the most despicable standing

فَلَولا الإِلَهُ وَتَخوافُهُ

رَجَعنا إِلى الطابَعِ الأَوَّلِ

So were it not for God and fearing Him

We would have returned to the original nature