بَغْدادُ قَدْ صارَ خَيْرُها شَرّا

بَغْدادُ قَدْ صارَ خَيْرُها شَرّا

صَيَّرَها اللهُ مِثْلَ سَامَرّا

صَيَّرَها اللهُ مِثْلَ سَامَرّا

Baghdad—its good has turned to evil.

Baghdad, its good has turned to ill,

May God make it like Samarra!

God has made it like Samarra.

أُطْلُبْ وفَتِّشْ واحْرِصْ فَلَسْتَ تَرى

أُطْلُبْ وفَتِّشْ واحْرِصْ فَلَسْتَ تَرى

في أَهْلِها حُرَّةٌ ولا حُرّا

في أَهْلِها حُرَّةٌ ولا حُرّا

Seek, search, and take pains, for you will not see

Search and look as you may,

Among its people a noble woman or a noble man.

Among its people you'll find neither free nor noble.