1. ما لي أَرى كُتُبي بِغَيرِ جِنايَةٍ

    قَد طالَ عِندَكَ في الوِثاقِ إِسارُها

    Why do I see my books, guilty of no offense,

    held captive so long in bonds with you?

  2. أَضحَت لَدَيكَ حَبائِساً

    أَثمانُها مَجهولَةً أَقدارُها

    They have become captives in your keeping,

    their prices and their worth unknown.

  3. مَهتوكَةً حُرُماتُها مَبذولَةً

    صَفَحاتُها مَحلولَةً أَزرارُها

    Their sanctity is violated; laid bare

    are their pages, their buttons undone.

  4. قَد أُبدِيَت عَوراتُها لَكُم وَما

    أَنتُم مَحارِمُها وَلا أَصهارُها

    Their private parts have been exposed to you, yet

    you are neither their unmarriageable kin nor their in-laws.

  5. وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَنَّها نُكِحَت وَلا

    صُدَقاتُها حُمِلَت وَلا أَمهارُها

    And it is a marvel that they have been wed, though neither

    their bridal gifts nor their dowries have been brought.

  6. فَاِمنُن عَلَيها بِالإِيابِ فَما نَبَت

    عَن مِثلِها أَوطانُها وَدِيارُها

    So grant them the favor of return, for never have

    their homelands and dwellings spurned their like.

  7. وَاِعطِف لِغُربَتِها وَطولِ مُقامِها

    بِذَراكَ فَهيَ رَقيقَةٌ أَبشارُها

    And show compassion for their exile and their long stay

    in your shelter, for their skins are delicate.