يا حاملاً سلة البهتان للأدب

يا حاملاً سلة البهتان للأدب

وناشراً عَلَمَ الشكوى بلا سببِ

وناشراً عَلَمَ الشكوى بلا سببِ

O you who bring literature a basket of slander,

O bearer of the basket of insults to literature,

And unfurl the banner of complaint without cause,

And spreader of the flag of baseless complaints,

حمَّلتَ نفسكَ عِبْئاً لا انتفاع به

حمَّلتَ نفسكَ عِبْئاً لا انتفاع به

وعُدْتَ تلهثُ من وهْنٍ ومنْ لغَبِ

وعُدْتَ تلهثُ من وهْنٍ ومنْ لغَبِ

You have burdened yourself with a load that brings no benefit,

You have burdened yourself with a useless load,

And you returned panting from weakness and exhaustion.

And gone about panting from weakness and greed.

السيرُ فوقَ بِحارِ الرمل مهلكةٌ

السيرُ فوقَ بِحارِ الرمل مهلكةٌ

كالغوص في لُججِ الأوحال والريب

كالغوص في لُججِ الأوحال والريب

Walking over seas of sand is a mortal peril,

Walking on seas of sand is perilous,

Like diving into the depths of mire and doubt.

Like diving into murky, treacherous pools.

وحاملُ الحِقْدِ يطوي بين أضلعه

وحاملُ الحِقْدِ يطوي بين أضلعه

ناراً يُؤججها حمَّالةُ الحطبِ

ناراً يُؤججها حمَّالةُ الحطبِ

And the bearer of hatred harbors between his ribs

And he who harbors hatred folds within his ribs

A fire stoked by the woman who carries firewood.

A fire stirred by the bearer of the kindling.