نحن في دهر على المع

نحن في دهر على المع

دم لا يجدي أبّوه

دم لا يجدي أبّوه

We live in an age when, for a destitute man,

We live in an age full of vice

his father is of no help;

Where shedding blood is purposeless

وعلى الوالد لا يف

وعلى الوالد لا يف

ضلُ إن عال بنوه

ضلُ إن عال بنوه

and a father receives no generosity

And a father gains no merit

from his sons if he falls into poverty.

From the virtues of his sons

لو رأى الناس شريفا

لو رأى الناس شريفا

سلائلا ما وصلوه

سلائلا ما وصلوه

If people saw a noble man

Were people to see a noble man

begging [uncertain reading], they would not help him;

In chains, they would not free him

وهم إن طمعوا

وهم إن طمعوا

في زاد كلب أكلوه

في زاد كلب أكلوه

and if they coveted

And if they craved a bite to eat

a dog's provisions, they would eat it.

They'd feast on the rations of a dog