بَغْدادُ قَدْ صارَ خَيْرُها شَرّا

صَيَّرَها اللهُ مِثْلَ سَامَرّا

Baghdad, its good has turned to ill,

God has made it like Samarra.

أُطْلُبْ وفَتِّشْ واحْرِصْ فَلَسْتَ تَرى

في أَهْلِها حُرَّةٌ ولا حُرّا

Search and look as you may,

Among its people you'll find neither free nor noble.