في موقف العدل والأبصار شاخصة

والسمع ملقى لما يقضي به الحكم

In a position of justice and scrutinizing eyes

And ears inclined to the verdict being passed

جاءت قضية سوق الإربعاء وما

تخفيه من ألم يبدو به ألم

Came the case of Souk Al-Arba’a and what

Pain it concealed that appeared as pain

من بعد ما مر نصف الحول محتسبا

عن مجرم مطلق يرعي ويحترم

After half a year elapsed, counted

For the freed criminal guarded and respected

بينا الأشلان في الباساء حولهما

أفلاذ ذي كبد حراء تضطرم

While the victims in Bessa’a around them

Were children with burning livers aflame

وبينما الشعب مستاء ومنصدع

مما ألم ومما أحدث السأم

And while the people were irate and split

From what pained and what brought about boredom

إذا بفصل قضاها في روايتنا

مثل ابتدائه بالماساة يختتم

Came the case's resolution in our account

Like its beginning with tragedy it concludes

فيما قضوه على الجاني لنا عظة

والعادلون ولو جاروا عليك هم

In what they ruled for the criminal is a lesson

And the judgers even if they wronged you they are

إن أطلقوه فقد أطلقت قافية

فيها يقيد حتى تبعث الرمم

If they freed him, a rhyme has been freed

In which he is restricted until the ruins are rebuilt

دومانفال كفى المستعمرين به

أمثولة أعجبت من صنعها الأمم

Doumanfal, enough for the colonists is him

As a moral they marveled at its making, the nations

هذا الذي استعذب التعذيب في عنب

واستصدرت عنهما أحكامه التهم

This one who relished torture in Anab

And judgments were extracted from them, the accusations

بالعاملين أتى في يومها عملا

لم ترع مرحمة فيه ولا ذمم

With the workers he came on that day to do

A deed which had no pity in it or covenants

تعروهما هزة العصفور منتفضا

مصلبين ولفح القيظ يلتهم

Stripping them naked, a shuddering sparrow

Crucified while the scorching heat consumed

والصبية المنطفي مصباح موسمهم

في الحي ماذا جنوا قل لي وما اجترموا

And the plucked children, the lamp of their season

In the neighborhood what wrong did they do tell me, and what sin did they commit

ما كاد يشعر منبيهم بفاجعة

حتى استعاضوا جناح الطير بل جثموا

No sooner did their guardian sense the calamity

Than they substituted the bird’s wing, but froze

داروا حيالهما والدمع منهمر

والسيد الفظ فوق الدست يبتسم

They turned to face them, tears streaming

While the brutal master above the platform smiled

والشعب مذ بلغت اسماعه ارتفعت

أصواته حنقا كالموج يلتطم

And the people, when the news reached their ears

Their voices rose in anger like clashing waves

هذا الحديث الذي قد قصّه علنا

عند النضال محاميهم وان هضموا

This talk which the lawyer publicly recounted

During the trial, even if they were silenced

رغم الدفاع ورغم الحق والحجج ال

لاتي أتت عند ملقيها بها الكلم

Despite the defense, despite the truth and arguments

Which were offered when said, the words

قالوا كفى الغرم تعويضا وترضية

والمال عارية والجرح ملتثم

They said enough is the fine as compensation and consolation

While the money is borrowed and the wound bandaged

ناديت لكن لسان الحال قائلة

إن لم تكن ناقما فاللّه منتقم

I called but the tongue of the state says

If you are not indignant, God will avenge