قال العراقُ وقد رحَلْتَ مُودِّعاً

قال العراقُ وقد رحَلْتَ مُودِّعاً

فاسمَع بعَيْشِك ما العِراقُ يقولُ

فاسمَع بعَيْشِك ما العِراقُ يقولُ

Iraq said, as you departed, taking your leave:

Iraq spoke as you departed, bidding farewell;

“By your life, listen to what Iraq has to say:

So listen, by your life, to what Iraq says:

بَغدادُ لي خَدٌّ ودجلةُ دمعةٌ

بَغدادُ لي خَدٌّ ودجلةُ دمعةٌ

أسفاً عليك مدَى الزّمانِ تَسيل

أسفاً عليك مدَى الزّمانِ تَسيل

Baghdad is my cheek, and the Tigris a tear

Baghdad is my cheek, and the Tigris a tear

that, grieving for you, shall flow for all time.

that flows in grief for you throughout all time.

قد كنتَ حَلْياً فاستُرِدَّ مُعارُه

قد كنتَ حَلْياً فاستُرِدَّ مُعارُه

وكذاكَ حالاتُ الزّمانِ تَحول

وكذاكَ حالاتُ الزّمانِ تَحول

You were a jewel on loan, and what was lent was reclaimed;

You were an ornament on loan, then reclaimed;

so do the fortunes of time change.

and thus the fortunes of time change.

للشّمسِ من أُفُقِ السّماء إذا هوَتْ

للشّمسِ من أُفُقِ السّماء إذا هوَتْ

بدَلٌ ومالكَ لا عَدِمْتَ بَديل

بدَلٌ ومالكَ لا عَدِمْتَ بَديل

When the sun sinks from heaven’s horizon,

The sun, when it sinks from heaven's horizon,

it has a successor; but you—may I never lose you—have no equal.”

has a replacement; but you—may you never suffer loss—have none.