قَصرَO palace الدوبارَةِal-Dubara ماwhat لِلَيثِكَwith your lion رابِضاًcrouching
قَصرَ الدوبارَةِ ما لِلَيثِكَ رابِضاً
وَالذِئبُand the wolf فيin قَصرِthe palace الإِمارَةِthe emirate يَحجِلُprances
وَالذِئبُ في قَصرِ الإِمارَةِ يَحجِلُ
O al-Dubara Palace, why is your lion crouching,
The palace of Dubai has no place for your lion
while the wolf prances in the emirate's palace?
Yet the wolf resides in the palace of governance, prowling
إِنّيindeed I سَمِعتُI heard بِعابِدينَat Abdin عُواءَهُhis howling
إِنّي سَمِعتُ بِعابِدينَ عُواءَهُ
فَعَجِبتُso I wondered كَيفَhow يَسودُrules مَنone who لاdoes not يَعقِلُuse reason
فَعَجِبتُ كَيفَ يَسودُ مَن لا يَعقِلُ
Indeed, I heard his howling at Abdin,
I heard the howling of worshipers in Abudhabi
so I wondered how one who lacks reason can rule.
And wondered how the mindless can reign