سوطٌ يقلُّ السيفُ عندَ عيانِهِ

سوطٌ يقلُّ السيفُ عندَ عيانِهِ

وأراهُ بعضَ حوادِثِ الأيامِ

وأراهُ بعضَ حوادِثِ الأيامِ

A whip at whose sight the sword seems insignificant.

A whip, the sword seems trivial beside it

And I regard it as one of the calamities of time.

I see it amidst the occurrences of time

يَنوي به للمسلمينَ عقوبةً

يَنوي به للمسلمينَ عقوبةً

وكذا تكونُ موائدُ الحكّامِ

وكذا تكونُ موائدُ الحكّامِ

With it he intends punishment for the Muslims.

With it, he intends punishment for the Muslims

And such are the rulers' tables.

And so are the tables of rulers