1. ما ذلك العرض الشريف يثلم ؟

    ويسيل من حنَق حواليه الدم ؟

    What of that noble honor being violated?

    And the blood flowing around it in fury?

  2. ومن الذي سام النفوس مهانة

    يأبى ويأنفها الذلول الأعجم ؟

    And who is it who subjected souls to humiliation

    that even a docile, speechless beast refuses and scorns?

  3. من كلم ما عوراء تكشف جهرة

    ويهان منها ما يصان ويكرم

    Through certain foul words that openly lay things bare,

    and by them, what is guarded and honored is dishonored;

  4. وكرامة يشتط في تحقيرها

    نذل حقير القلب لا يتأثم

    and dignity whose degradation is carried to excess

    by a scoundrel, base at heart, who feels no guilt.

  5. في أيما بلد نعيش ؟ وأيما

    عهد يمر على الكنانة مظلم ؟

    In what country do we live? And what

    dark age is passing over al-Kinana?

  6. عهد نسام الخسف فيه ونبتلى

    نقما إذا قمنا نضج وننقم

    An age in which we are subjected to abasement and afflicted

    with reprisals whenever we rise, cry out, and protest.

  7. وحشية كشف الزمان حجابها

    لا بل أشد من الوحوش وأظلم

    Savagery whose veil time has lifted—

    No—rather, fiercer than beasts, and more unjust.

  8. الوحش يفتك جائعاً ويعف عن

    فتكاته إذ ما يعب ويطعم !

    The beast kills when hungry, and refrains from

    its killing when it drinks deeply and eats!

  9. يا أيها الرفقاء بالحيوان لا

    تنسوا أناسيّا تئن وتألم

    O you who are kind to animals, do not

    forget human beings who moan and suffer.

  10. في مصر قد تلقى الكلاب رعاية

    بينا يُحقّر شعبها ويُحطّم !

    In Egypt, dogs may receive care,

    while its people are belittled and crushed!

  11. في مصر لايلقى المسيء جزاءه

    لا بل يكافأ دونه ويكرّم

    In Egypt, the wrongdoer does not receive his punishment;

    No—rather, he is rewarded instead, and honored.

  12. في مصر ما لا يحفظ التاريخ من

    فحش يعج بها وفحش يكتم

    In Egypt are things that history does not record:

    outrage clamoring within it, and outrage kept concealed.

  13. في مصر ! لو في مصر بعض كرامة

    غضبت وفار على جوانبها الدم !

    In Egypt! If Egypt had any dignity,

    it would rage, and blood would boil along its flanks!

  14. ماذا يعز على الهوان نصونه ؟

    لم يبق من حرماتنا ما نكرم

    What is too precious for humiliation, that we might safeguard it?

    Nothing remains of our sanctities for us to honor.

  15. الموت ؟ يا للموت ! أشرف شرعة

    مما نسام به ومما نوسم

    Death? O for death! A nobler way of life

    than what we are subjected to, and what we are branded with.