أَيَسومُني المَأمونُ خِطَّةَ عاجِزٍ

أَو ما رَأى بِالأَمسِ رَأسَ مُحَمَّدِ

Does al-Ma'mun delude me with the plan of an incapable man

Or did he not see yesterday the head of Muhammad

نوفي عَلى هامِ الخَلائِفِ مِثلَما

توفى الجِبالُ عَلى رُؤوسِ القَردَدِ

We fulfill upon the obtuse caliphs just as

The mountains fulfilled upon the heads of monkeys

وَنَحُلُّ في أَكنافِ كُلِّ مُمَنَّعٍ

حَتّى نُذَلِّلَ شاهِقاً لَم يُصعَدِ

And we attack in the bosoms of every inaccessible man

Until we humiliate a towering man who was not ascended

إِنَّ التِراتِ مُسَهَّدٌ طُلّابُها

فَاِكفُف لِعابَكَ عَن لِعابِ الأَسوَدِ

Indeed the young men studying the books are ready

So hold back your saliva from the saliva of the lions

لا تَحسَبَن جَهلي كَحِلمِ أَبي فَما

حِلمُ المَشايِخِ مِثلَ جَهلِ الأَمرَدِ

Do not assume my ignorance like the forbearance of my father for the forbearance of old men

Is not like the ignorance of the young cub

إِنّي مِنَ القَومِ الَّذينَ سُيوفُهُم

قَتَلَت أَخاكَ وَشَرَّفَتكَ بِمَقعَدِ

I am from the people whose swords

Killed your brother and honored you with the seat

رَفَعوا مَحَلَّكَ بَعدَ طولِ خُمولِهِ

وَاِستَنقَذوكَ مِنَ الحَضيضِ الأَوهَدِ

They raised your status after its long humiliation

And rescued you from the lowest abyss

كَم مِن كَريمٍ قَبلَه وَخَليفَةٍ

أَضحى لَنا دَمُه لَذيذَ المَقصِدِ

How many generous men before him and caliphs

Their blood became delicious to attain

مِثلِ اِبنِ عَفّانٍ وَمِثلِ وَليدِهِم

أَو مِثلِ مَروانٍ وَمِثلِ مُحَمَّدِ

Like the son of ‘Affan, and like their Walid

Or like Marwan, and like Muhammad