تَبرَّمتِ الوثيقةُ بالوثاقِ

تَبرَّمتِ الوثيقةُ بالوثاقِ

وصارَ الروحُ منها في التَّراقي

وصارَ الروحُ منها في التَّراقي

The document grew weary of its bonds,

The document chafed in its bonds

And its soul reached the collarbones.

And the spirit therein agonized

فلو أَنصفْتَها نظراً وحَزْماً

فلو أَنصفْتَها نظراً وحَزْماً

إلى مَن بالمدينة والعراقِ

إلى مَن بالمدينة والعراقِ

If only you would do it justice, with thought and resolve,

Had you but judged it fairly and wisely

Turning to those in Medina and Iraq.

Among the folk of city and Iraq

لعلَّ القومَ يَتَّفقون فيها

لعلَّ القومَ يَتَّفقون فيها

وكيف لهم وأنَّى باتَّفاقِ

وكيف لهم وأنَّى باتَّفاقِ

Perhaps the people would agree about it—

Perchance the people would concur therein

But how could they—and whence any agreement?

But how, whence this concurrence?

فِجاجُ العلم واسعةٌ عليكُمْ

فِجاجُ العلم واسعةٌ عليكُمْ

وهنَّ عليَّ ضَيِّقةُ الخِناقِ

وهنَّ عليَّ ضَيِّقةُ الخِناقِ

The paths of knowledge are broad for you,

The torrents of knowledge are boundless for you

Yet for me they are tight as a noose.

While for me the noose of death is strait