قَد مَكَّنَ المَطلَ مِنَ الوَعدِ

قَد مَكَّنَ المَطلَ مِنَ الوَعدِ

وَسَلَّطَ المَنعَ عَلى الرِفدِ

وَسَلَّطَ المَنعَ عَلى الرِفدِ

He has given delay mastery over promise,

He has enabled procrastination in promising,

And withholding dominion over bounty—

And empowered prevention over giving.

عامِلُ دِمياطِ الَّذي كُلُّ مَن

عامِلُ دِمياطِ الَّذي كُلُّ مَن

عامَلَهُ يَخسَرُ في القَصدِ

عامَلَهُ يَخسَرُ في القَصدِ

The governor of Damietta: everyone who

The ruler of Dimyat, whom all who

Deals with him loses out in his quest.

Deal with lose out in their aim.

كَأَنَّهُ مُستَحلَفٌ أَنهُ

كَأَنَّهُ مُستَحلَفٌ أَنهُ

يَستَقبِلُ السائِلَ بِالرَدِّ

يَستَقبِلُ السائِلَ بِالرَدِّ

As though he had been made to swear that he

It is as though he swore an oath that

Would greet the petitioner with rejection.

He would receive the beseecher with refusal.