الآنَ قامَ عَلى بَغدادَ ناعيها

الآنَ قامَ عَلى بَغدادَ ناعيها

فَليَبكِها لِخَرابِ الدَّهرِ باكيها

فَليَبكِها لِخَرابِ الدَّهرِ باكيها

Now the herald of her death has risen over Baghdad.

Now one has risen to mourn Baghdad

So let her mourner weep for her, for the ruin wrought by time.

So let him weep for it, for the ravages of fate weeping

كانَت عَلى ما بِها وَالحَربُ بارِكَةٌ

كانَت عَلى ما بِها وَالحَربُ بارِكَةٌ

وَالهَدمُ يَغدو عَلَيها في نَواحيها

وَالهَدمُ يَغدو عَلَيها في نَواحيها

Despite all that afflicted her, with war crouching upon her,

It used to be, with battles around, blessed

And destruction coming upon her each morning in her quarters,

And destruction appears on its outskirts each day

تُرجى لَها عَودَةٌ في الدَّهرِ صالِحَةٌ

تُرجى لَها عَودَةٌ في الدَّهرِ صالِحَةٌ

فَالآنَ أضمر مِنها اليَأسُ راجيها

فَالآنَ أضمر مِنها اليَأسُ راجيها

A good recovery in time was still hoped for her.

Hoped for it is a return of good fortune one day

So now despair of her has withered the one who hoped for her.

But now despair holds back its hopes

مِثلُ العَجوزِ الَّتي وَلَّت شَبيبَتُها

مِثلُ العَجوزِ الَّتي وَلَّت شَبيبَتُها

وَبانَ مِنها جَمالٌ كانَ يُحظيها

وَبانَ مِنها جَمالٌ كانَ يُحظيها

Like the old woman whose youth has passed away,

Like an old woman whose youth has passed

And whose beauty, which once brought her favor, has departed.

And beauty she once had, granting her favor, has gone

ازَّت بِها حرَّة زَهراءُ واضِحَةٌ

ازَّت بِها حرَّة زَهراءُ واضِحَةٌ

كَالشَّمسِ مَكسُوَّة دراً تراقيها

كَالشَّمسِ مَكسُوَّة دراً تراقيها

[Unclear verb] with her—a radiant, fair freeborn woman,

Adorned it was by splendid Harrah blossoming

Like the sun, her collarbones clad in pearls.

Like the sun cloaked in pearls stacked up high