فولٌ بفلسٍ غداءً

واللبس سحق قطيفَهْ

A bean for his breakfast,

His clothes ragged and torn.

فاشمخْ بأنفِكَ تيهاً

وعشْ بنفسٍ شريفَهْ

He sniffed deeply, lost,

Yet with a noble soul lived on.

قالوا الزمانُ خسيسٌ

فقلتُ نفسي شريفَهْ

They said time was ignoble,

But my soul is noble, I responded.

والموتُ عدلٌ يسوِّي

بيني وبينَ الخليفَهْ

And death is the justice,

That makes the caliph and I equal.