لحا اللَه كتابا بمنصورة الوالي

فهمتهم أن يسلبوا رأس أموالي

May God curse a letter from the governor at Mansura;

I took them to mean they would strip away the principal of my wealth.

ألا بلغا عني المدير نصيحة

أتت ترتجى نيل المرام باقبال

Hear me: you two, convey a word of counsel from me to the administrator—

counsel that has come hoping, through a gracious hearing, to attain its aim.

أترضى بأهل الشرك فينا تحكموا

وتمنح كتاب الضلال باجلال

Would you accept the people of polytheism lording it over us,

and treat the scribes of error with honor,

وتسمن أولاد النصارى ببغيهم

وأهل التقى بين ذل وإهزال

fattening the Christians’ sons through their oppression,

while the devout languish between humiliation and emaciation?

تواصوا على أكل الحرام بخطهم

وأقلامهم تزنى وتسرق أثقالي

In their writing they conspire to devour forbidden gain,

and their pens commit fornication and steal away my goods.

ترى هل مدير العدل يجهل حالهم

أم الحكم في الأدنى بعيد عن الوالي

Do you think the administrator of justice is unaware of their condition,

or is governance at the lower level too remote from the governor?