اِني وبغداد كالمظلومِ من قَمَرٍ

اِني وبغداد كالمظلومِ من قَمَرٍ

حُسْنٌ وليس وراء الحسنِ اِحسان

حُسْنٌ وليس وراء الحسنِ اِحسان

With Baghdad, I am like one tormented by a moon:

With Baghdad, I am like one wronged by a moon:

beauty—and beyond that beauty, no kindness.

Beauty, but beyond that beauty no kindness.

اُغْني بمدحي ولا اُغْنى بمكرمةٍ

اُغْني بمدحي ولا اُغْنى بمكرمةٍ

كمخيط السلك يكسو وهو عُريان

كمخيط السلك يكسو وهو عُريان

I make others rich with my praise, yet no generous gift enriches me—

I enrich it with my praise, but am not enriched by any generous gift,

like a threaded needle: it clothes others while itself is naked.

Like a threaded needle: it clothes others while itself is naked.