عرج على الكرخ وأنزل في مغانيه

وأسأله كيف خلت من غوانيه

I visited Karkh and stayed awhile in its taverns

And asked how it was bereft of its revelers

عهدي به وهو معمور بسادته

وجملة الصحب كانوا في نواديه

I knew it when it was filled with its masters

And all the friends were in its clubs

عهدي به وهو محفوف بكلّ هَناً

والشمل مجتمع والسعد ثاويهِ

I knew it surrounded by all luxury

And the group was together and luck was constant

والنُّو والنَّور في أرجائه سطعا

والورد والآس تاها في نواحيه

Light and brilliance shone in its corners

And flowers and myrtle wandered in its regions

وللصبَّا أرج تحيا النفوس به

ممّا على الأرضِ عطرٌ من رياحيه

The morning breeze had bowers where souls revived

With the fragrance from its winds covering the earth

والطير فوق أصول البان في طرب

والغصن بالخَودِ يزري في تثنيهِ

And birds above the roots of the trees were singing

And branches bent with fruit in their bending

فما له ذهبت أصحابه وعَفَت

آثاره وخَوَت منه أعاليهِ

Why did its friends go and its traces fade

And its heights crumble and fall away from it

لهفي على الجانب الغربي أجمعهِ

فجانب الشرق طبيباً لا يدانيه

I yearn for its west side all together

For its east cannot be a match healing me

بالله قف بَدَلي فيه كسارية

ولم تزل من صدا التفريق ترويهِ

By God, stand in my stead within it like a drinker

And it has not ceased watering from the call of parting

وقف وقوفي به يوم الرحيل ضحىً

حيث العقيق على الخدَّين أُجريه

Stand my stand in it in the dawn of departure

Where carnelian runs down the cheeks I made it flow