ما للقريض تعاصى

جهرا عليّ وسرا

Why does the critic cavil at my principles,

vilifying me openly and secretly?

وكنت أنثر فيكم

من بحره العذب درا

I used to sprinkle you all

from his sweet ocean, pearls.

وكان شعري كجيش

يساق بحرا وبرا

And my poetry was like an army

marching by land and sea.

لا غرو والله لما

على الفرار أصرا

No wonder, by God when

I insisted on fleeing.

ما فر مني قريني

بل من سليمان فرا

My confidant did not flee from me,

but rather from Solomon he fled.

لم يغد منه طليقا

إلا لكونه حرا

He was set free from him

only by being free.

في ليلة الأمس أسرى

به الفؤاد فرا

Last night my heart took him prisoner,

and he came to ask forgiveness,

وجساء يسأل عفوا

من جمعنا الفذ طرا

from the one who joined us.

Long live you all, and long live my country

عشتم وعاشت بلادي

ومن بها قد أبرا

and those virtuous ones who inhabited it.