1. شَهِدْتُ بِأَنَّك حَقّ أَحَدْ

    وَحُكْمُكَ عدْلٌ وَأَنْتَ الصَّمدْ

    I have borne witness that You are Truth, the One.

    And Your judgment is just, and You are the Eternal Refuge.

  2. فَفِيمَ قَضَيْتَ وَأَنْتَ العَلِ

    يمُ الرَّحِيمُ بِشِقْوَةِ هَذَا الْبِلَدْ

    Then why have You decreed, though You are the All-

    Knowing, the Merciful, misery for this land?

  3. بِهِ فَاسِدُونَ أَعُوذُ بِحَوْ

    لِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ خَلْقٍ إِذَا مَا فَسَدْ

    There are corrupt men in it; I seek refuge in Your

    might from the evil of a creature when it turns corrupt.

  4. مُبِيحُونَ فِي السُّوقِ أَهْلَ الفُسُو

    قِ مَحَارِمَ أَزْوَاجِهِم وَالْوَلَدْ

    They offer in the market to the people of

    vice the inviolable honor of their wives and children,

  5. تَوَخَّى مَالٍ حَرَامٍ حَلاَ

    لٍ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ بِلاَ مُنْتَقَدْ

    seeking money, unlawful or

    lawful, in any case, without censure.

  6. يَرُومُونَهْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الظُّنو

    نِ وَمِنْ كُلِّ مَأْتىً وَمِن كُلِّ يَدْ

    They seek it from beyond

    conjecture, and from every avenue, and from every hand.

  7. وَمَنْ غَرَّهُ مِنْهُمُ الظَّاهِرُو

    نَ فَكَمْ خَدَعَتْ حَمْأَةٌ بِالزَّبَدْ

    And whoever is deceived by the prominent among them—

    how often has black mud deceived with foam!

  8. لَقَدْ شَادَ أَصْيَدُهُمْ بَيْتَهُ

    عَنَيْتُ بِهِ الصَّيدَ دُونَ الصَّيَدْ

    Indeed, their best hunter has raised his house;

    I mean hunting, not a neck stiff with pride.

  9. بَنَاهُ فَأَعْلَى كَأَنِّي بِهِ

    لَهُمْ مَعْبَدٌ فِي ذُرَاهُ مَرَدْ

    He built it and raised it high; I fancy it

    a temple for them, with rebellious spirits in its heights.

  10. كَأَنَّ نَوَافِذَ جُدْرَانِهِ

    نَوَاظِرُ لاَ يَعْتَرِيَهَا رَمَدْ

    As though the windows in its walls

    were eyes untouched by inflammation,

  11. تَعُدُّ عَلَى النِّيلِ قَطْرَ المِيَا

    هِ وَتَرْمُقُهُ بِعُيُونِ الْحَسَدْ

    counting against the Nile the drops of

    water, and watching it with eyes of envy.