لَيسَ السَواد ناقِصي ما دامَ لي

لَيسَ السَواد ناقِصي ما دامَ لي

هذا اللِسانُ إِلى فُؤاد ثابِت

هذا اللِسانُ إِلى فُؤاد ثابِت

My blackness does not diminish me, so long as I have

Blackness is no defect as long as I have

this tongue, together with a steadfast heart.

This eloquent tongue and steadfast heart.

من كانَ تَرفَعه منابِت أَصلِهِ

من كانَ تَرفَعه منابِت أَصلِهِ

فَبُيوت اِشعاري جَعَلن منابِتي

فَبُيوت اِشعاري جَعَلن منابِتي

If a man is raised by the roots of his ancestry,

He whose pride springs from his origin

then the verses of my poems have formed my roots.

Has made my poems spring from my roots.

كَم بَينَ اسودَ ناطِق بِبَيانِهِ

كَم بَينَ اسودَ ناطِق بِبَيانِهِ

ماضي الجِنان وَبَينَ ابيَضَ صامِت

ماضي الجِنان وَبَينَ ابيَضَ صامِت

How great the difference between a black man eloquent in speech,

How far between the black man, fluent in his speech,

resolute of heart, and a white man who is silent!

Refined in spirit, and the silent white man!

انّي لِيحسُدني الرَفيعِ بِناؤُه

انّي لِيحسُدني الرَفيعِ بِناؤُه

من فَضل ذاكَ وَلَيسَ بي من شامِت

من فَضل ذاكَ وَلَيسَ بي من شامِت

Indeed, the man whose edifice is lofty envies me

The high-born man may envy me for the merit

for that excellence, and no one gloats over me.

Of my works, though he feels no joy for me.