أَيَبْلُغُ مِنْكَ سَمْعَ المُسْتَجِيبِ

كَمَا عَوَّدْتِهِ صَوْتُ الحَرِيب

Does my voice reach the one who responds

As you have accustomed it to the voice of war?

وَإِلاَّ فَالعَفَاءُ لِكُلِّ نَجْمٍ

يُطَالِعُنَا وَنَجْمُكِ بِالمَغِيبِ

Otherwise, pardon to every star

That appears to us while your star has set

أَمَفْخَرَةَ الخُدُورِ لَقَدْ تَوَالَتْ

حَوَادِثُ مُذْ رَحَلْتِ وَلَمْ تَؤُوبِي

O pride of the chambers, misfortunes have certainly succeeded

Since you left and did not return

وَحَلَّتْ كُلُّ كَارِثَةٍ ضَرُوسٍ

تُحَطِّم بِالأَظَافِرِ وَالنُّيوبِ

And every severe disaster has befallen

Shattering with claws and fangs

أُبِيحَ ضِعَافُ قَوْمِكِ لِلرَّزَايَا

وَقَدْ غَلَّتْ يَدَيْكِ يَدَا شَعُوبِ

The weak of your people are exploited by calamities

While your hands are bound, O nations

تَفَقَّدَكِ الأَيَامَى وَاليَتَامَى

وَقَدْ عَصَفَتْ بِهِمْ أُمُّ الحُرُوبِ

The orphans and widows asked about you

While the mother of wars stormed them

فَنِصْفُ اَرْضِ فِي غَرَقٍن وَنِصٍْفٌ

تَجَلَّلَ بِالصَّوَاعِقِ وَاللَّهِيبِ

So half the land is drowning, and half

Is clad in thunder and flame

أَوَلِّى الخَيْر أجْمَعُ يَوْمَ وَلَّتْ

مُفَرِّجَةُ المَكَارِهِ وَالكُرُوبِ

On the day when goodness altogether retreated

The reliever of difficulties and worries

فَوَا حَرَبَا لِدَارٍ قَسَّموهَا

تُبَاعُ عَلَى المُوَاطِنِ وَالغَرِيبِ

So woe to a house they divided

Sold over its dwellers and stranger

بِحَيْثُ تَرَاءَتِ الجَوْزَاءُ حِيناً

وَقَبْلَكَ مَا تَرَاءَتْ مِنْ قَرِيبِ

Where al-Jawza appeared for a while

And before you it did not appear from nearby

وَحَيْثُ تَخَشَّع الأَبْصَارُ رَعْيَاً

لِجَانِبِ ذَلِكَ الصَّرْحِ المَهِيبِ

And where sights humbled themselves in awe

Of the side of that magnificent edifice

مَنِ القُطَّانُ بَعْدَكِ لَيْتَ شِعْرِي

وَمَا هُم مِنْ أَصِيلٍ أَوْ جَنِيبِ

Who are the cottagers after you? Would that I knew

Whether they are of noble origin or base

وَأَيَّة أَرْجُلٍ سَتَدُوسُ أَرْضاً

فَرَشْنَاهَا بِحَبَّاتِ القُلُوبِ

And what feet will tread on a land

We paved with beads of hearts

زَمَانٌ شَاعَ حُبُّ النَّفعِ فِيهِ

فَمَا الإِتْجَارُ بِالأَمْرِ الغَرِيبِ

A time whose prevalent love is profit

So what trading in the strange matter?

وَلَكِنْ هَلْ يُبَاعُ بِهِ وَيُشْرَى

تُرَاثُ المَجْدِ فِي رَأْيٍ مُصِيبِ

But can the heritage of glory therein

Be sold and bought, in a judicious view?

وَكَيْفَ تُثَمَّن الحُرُمَاتُ فِيهِ

نَلَوْ قُوِّمْنَ بِالثَّمنِ الرَّغِيبِ

And how can sanctities therein be valued

Unless appraised at a dear price?

دَعُوَا الذّكْرَى تَعِشْ وَلْنُعْطَ مِمَّا

يُقَدِسُ شَاْنَهَا أَوْفَى نَصِيبِ

Let's leave remembrance alive and give it what

Would sanctify its status, the choicest share

فَللذِكْرَى تَطَهَّرِتِ السَّجايَا

مِنَ الأَدْرَانِ فِيهَا وَالعُيُوبِ

For remembrance sins were purified

Of blemishes and defects in them

وَلِلذِكْرَى سَخَتْ أَيْدٍ شِحَاحٌ

وَجِيءَ مِنَ المَفَاخِرِ بِالضُّرُوبِ

And for remembrance stingy hands softened

And all sorts of pride were brought

وَلِلذِّكْرَى بنَى البَانِي فَأعْلَى

وَأَبْدَعَ كُلُّ مُخْتَرِعٍ لَبِيبِ

And for remembrance the builder built high

And every intelligent inventor excelled

وَلِلذِّكْرَى فَدَى الفَادِي حِمَاهُ

وَخَطّ كِتَابَهُ بِدَمٍ صَبِيبِ

And for remembrance the savior ransomed his protection

And inscribed his book in pouring blood

إِذَا مَا سِيمَتِ الذِّكْرَى وَبِيعَتْ

فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمَمَالِكِ والشُّعوبِ

If the symbol of remembrance is branded

Then woe to the kingdoms and peoples!