أَتى عارفٌ بِالظُلم لِلشام مَرّةً

فَأَبدَعَ جَهلاً قبحهُ لَيسَ يوصفُ

A knowledgeable one came to Damascus once in darkness

Creating an ignorance so ugly it cannot be described

إِذا قيلَ عرِّف من عَنيت أَجبتهم

أَرى الشَرط عِندي عارف لا يعرَّفُ

If asked to name whom I refer to, I would answer them

I see the policeman in me, a knowledgeable one not to be named