يا أَبا نَهشَل وَداعَ مُقيمٍ

يا أَبا نَهشَل وَداعَ مُقيمٍ

ظاعِنٍ بَينَ لَوعَةٍ وَرَسيسِ

ظاعِنٍ بَينَ لَوعَةٍ وَرَسيسِ

O Abu Nahshal—the farewell of one who remains,

O Abu Nahshal, a lasting farewell

Yet departs, between burning anguish and lingering ache.

Between anguish and firmness

لا أُطيقُ السُلُوَّ عَنكَ وَلو أَنَّ

لا أُطيقُ السُلُوَّ عَنكَ وَلو أَنَّ

فُؤادي مِن صَخرَةٍ مَرمَريسِ

فُؤادي مِن صَخرَةٍ مَرمَريسِ

I cannot bear to forget you, even if

I cannot bear to part from you, even if

My heart were made of unyielding rock.

My heart were made of solid marble

فَقدُكَ المُرُّ يا اِبنَ عَمّي أَبكا

فَقدُكَ المُرُّ يا اِبنَ عَمّي أَبكا

ني لافَقدُ زَينَبٍ وَلَميسِ

ني لافَقدُ زَينَبٍ وَلَميسِ

The bitter loss of you, O cousin, has made

I weep for your loss, O son of my uncle

Me weep—not the loss of Zaynab or Lamis.

Not for losing Zainab or Lamees

لَيسَ حُزني عَلى العِراقِ وَما يُل

لَيسَ حُزني عَلى العِراقِ وَما يُل

بِسُها الدَهرُ مِن نَعيمٍ وَبوسِ

بِسُها الدَهرُ مِن نَعيمٍ وَبوسِ

My sorrow is not for Iraq, nor for what

My sorrow is not for Iraq, nor what

Time clothes it in—bliss and misery.

Fortune makes it lose of bliss and kiss

ما تُرابُ العِراقِ بِالعَنبَرِ الوَر

ما تُرابُ العِراقِ بِالعَنبَرِ الوَر

دِ وَلا ماءُ دِجلَةَ بِمَسوسِ

دِ وَلا ماءُ دِجلَةَ بِمَسوسِ

Iraq's soil is not rose-hued ambergris,

The soil of Iraq is not ambergris

Nor is the Tigris's water thirst-quenching.

Nor the water of Tigris sweet to sip

غَيرَ أَنّي مُخَلِّفٌ مِنكَ في آ

غَيرَ أَنّي مُخَلِّفٌ مِنكَ في آ

خِرِ بَغدادَ فَضلَ عِلقٍ نَفيسِ

خِرِ بَغدادَ فَضلَ عِلقٍ نَفيسِ

Yet I leave something of you behind at the far

But you left in the last of Baghdad

End of Baghdad: a remnant of a precious treasure.

A precious, intimate remnant of yourself

فَسَلامٌ عَلى جَنابِكَ وَالمَن

فَسَلامٌ عَلى جَنابِكَ وَالمَن

هَلِ فيهِ وَرَبعِكَ المَأنوسُ

هَلِ فيهِ وَرَبعِكَ المَأنوسُ

So peace upon your abode and the watering

Peace be upon you and your household

Place within it, and your familiar dwelling,

And your familiar, genial neighborhood

حَيثُ فِعلُ الأَيّامِ لَيسَ بِمَذمو

حَيثُ فِعلُ الأَيّامِ لَيسَ بِمَذمو

مِ وَوَجهُ الزَمانِ غَيرُ عَبوسِ

مِ وَوَجهُ الزَمانِ غَيرُ عَبوسِ

Where the work of the days is not blameworthy,

Where deeds of time are no cause for blame

And the face of time is not grim.

And the face of fate is not grim

وَلَئِن كُنتَ راحِلاً لَبِوُدٍّ

وَلَئِن كُنتَ راحِلاً لَبِوُدٍّ

وَثَناءٍ وَقفٍ عَلَيكَ حَبيسِ

وَثَناءٍ وَقفٍ عَلَيكَ حَبيسِ

And if you depart, it is surely with affection

Though you travel for glory and fame

And praise, reserved for you, held captive.

Kept safe in many hearts, acclaim

لَستُ أَنسى شَمائِلاً مِنكَ كَالنَو

لَستُ أَنسى شَمائِلاً مِنكَ كَالنَو

وارِ حُسناً لَم تَجتَمِع لِرَئيسِ

وارِ حُسناً لَم تَجتَمِع لِرَئيسِ

I do not forget your qualities, like blossoms

I won't forget your virtues, like stars

In beauty, never united in any leader.

Assembled, unmatched even for a prince

سَتَروحُ الأَحشاءُ مِنّي وَتَغدو

سَتَروحُ الأَحشاءُ مِنّي وَتَغدو

في جَديدٍ مِنَ الأَسى وَلَبيسِ

في جَديدٍ مِنَ الأَسى وَلَبيسِ

My inmost heart will pass each evening and morning

My soul will wander and wander astray

In sorrow, both fresh and worn.

To new sorrow and dress of dismay

إِنَّ يَومَ الخَميسِ يُفقِدُني وَج

إِنَّ يَومَ الخَميسِ يُفقِدُني وَج

هَكَ قَسراً لا كانَ يَومُ الخَميسِ

هَكَ قَسراً لا كانَ يَومُ الخَميسِ

Indeed, Thursday will rob me of your

Thursday will take me from your face

Face by force—may Thursday never be!

By force - no blessing in that day!