لا طَلّ صَوْبَ الغَوادِي سَاحَتي قطنا

لا طَلّ صَوْبَ الغَوادِي سَاحَتي قطنا

ولا رَعى اللّه مَنْ في أَرْضِها قطنا

ولا رَعى اللّه مَنْ في أَرْضِها قطنا

May no rain from morning clouds wet Qatana’s two courtyards,

No meadows have I ever grazed in their valleys,

Nor may God protect anyone who dwelt upon its soil.

Nor has God ever blessed whoever dwelt in their land.

ما أَنْصَفُوا الخضِر الباني جِدَارهُمُ

ما أَنْصَفُوا الخضِر الباني جِدَارهُمُ

لَمَّا أَرادَ بِأَنْ يَنْقَضَّ حِينَ بَنَى

لَمَّا أَرادَ بِأَنْ يَنْقَضَّ حِينَ بَنَى

They were unjust to al-Khidr, who built their wall,

They were unfair to the Green One when he built his wall

When it was about to collapse, as he built it.

Wanting to knock it down even as it was erected.

فَاسْتَطْعَما أَهْلَهَا مُوسَى وَصاحِبُهُ

فَاسْتَطْعَما أَهْلَهَا مُوسَى وَصاحِبُهُ

فَلمْ يُضَيّفُوهُما شَيْئاً فَكيْفَ لَنا

فَلمْ يُضَيّفُوهُما شَيْئاً فَكيْفَ لَنا

So Moses and his companion asked its people for food,

Moses and his companion asked to be their guests,

But they offered them both no hospitality at all—so what of us?

But they did not treat them hospitably at all.

هَجاهُمُ اللّه في القُرآنِ فَاهْجهُمُ

هَجاهُمُ اللّه في القُرآنِ فَاهْجهُمُ

وَالعَنْهمُ الدَّهْرَ واشْكُرْ كُلَّ مَنْ لَعَنا

وَالعَنْهمُ الدَّهْرَ واشْكُرْ كُلَّ مَنْ لَعَنا

God denounced them in the Qur’an, so denounce them,

God censured them in the Qur’ān—so censure them!

And curse them forever, and thank everyone who cursed them.

Time has cursed them; thank all who cursed them!