أمَّا سماسرةُ البلاد فعصبة

أمَّا سماسرةُ البلاد فعصبة

عارٌ على أهل البلاد بقاؤها

عارٌ على أهل البلاد بقاؤها

As for the country's brokers, they are a band

The brokers of the country are a gang,

Whose continued existence is a disgrace to the country's people.

A disgrace to the people of the land is their stay.

إبليسُ أعلن صاغراً إفلاَسه

إبليسُ أعلن صاغراً إفلاَسه

لمَّا تحقَّق عنده إغراؤها

لمَّا تحقَّق عنده إغراؤها

Iblis, abased, declared his bankruptcy

Iblis has confessed bankrupt and broken,

When their power to tempt became clear to him.

When their seduction was clear to him.

يتنعَّمون مُكرَّمين كأنَّما

يتنعَّمون مُكرَّمين كأنَّما

لنعيمهم عمَّ البلاد شقاؤها

لنعيمهم عمَّ البلاد شقاؤها

They live in luxury, honored, as though

They enjoy delights honored as if

Misery had spread throughout the country for their pleasure.

Their bliss has relieved the country’s misery.

همْ أهلُ نجدتها وإن أنكرتَهم

همْ أهلُ نجدتها وإن أنكرتَهم

وهمو وأنفك راغم زعماؤها

وهمو وأنفك راغم زعماؤها

They are its rescuers, even if you reject them;

They are the people of its salvation though you deny them,

And they are its leaders, with your nose rubbed in the dust,

And they, despite your dislike, lead its chieftains.

وحماتُها وبهم يتم خرابُها

وحماتُها وبهم يتم خرابُها

وعلى يديهمْ بَيْعُها وشراؤها

وعلى يديهمْ بَيْعُها وشراؤها

And its protectors—and through them its ruin is completed;

They are its guardians, and through them its ruin comes about,

And at their hands it is sold and bought.

Its sale and purchase are done by their hands.

ومن العجائب إنْ كشفتَ قدورهم

ومن العجائب إنْ كشفتَ قدورهم

أنَّ الجرائد بعضَهنًّ غطاؤها

أنَّ الجرائد بعضَهنًّ غطاؤها

And among the wonders, if you uncover their pots,

And of the wonders, if you unveil their pots,

Is that some newspapers are their lids.

Is that some newspapers are their covers.

كيف الخلاص إذا النفوس تزاحمت

كيف الخلاص إذا النفوس تزاحمت

أطماعُها وتدافعتْ أهواؤها

أطماعُها وتدافعتْ أهواؤها

How can there be deliverance when, within souls, there jostle

How can there be deliverance when desires jostle,

Their greedy desires, and their passions push against one another?

Their greed and whims conflict?