1. كم لنا من عجيبة

    طى هذى البسيطةِ

    How many wonders we have

    In the folds of this earth!

  2. أمم قد تغيرت

    وبلاد تولتِ

    Nations have changed,

    And lands have passed away;

  3. وبحار تحوّلت

    من مكان لبقعة

    And seas have shifted

    From one place to another.

  4. ثم نابت جزيرة

    عندها عن جزيرة

    Then one island replaced

    Another island there.

  5. حدّثينا حديثهم

    وصِفى القوم وانعتي

    Tell us their story,

    And describe the people and portray them.

  6. دول قد تصرمت

    دولة إثر دولة

    States have come to an end,

    State after state;

  7. وقرون تلاحقت

    وعصور تقضت

    And centuries have followed one another,

    And ages have passed away.

  8. ذهب الدهر كله

    بين يوم وليلة

    All of time has gone by

    Between a day and a night.