خَلَت شُعَبُ المَمدورِ لَستَ بِواجِدٍ

بِهِ غَيرَ بالٍ مِن عِضاهٍ وَحَرمَلِ

The paths of al-Mamdur are empty, you will not find there

Anything but ruins and broken walls.

تَمَنَّيتَ أَن تَلقى بِهِ أُمَّ جَحدَرٍ

وَماذا تَمَنّى مِن صَدىً تَحتَ جَندَلِ

You wished to meet there the mother of wild donkeys,

And what did you wish for from an echo under the tamarisk trees?

فَلَلمَوتُ خَيرٌ مِن حَياةٍ ذَميمَةٍ

وَلَلبُخلُ خَيرٌ مِن عَناءٍ مُطَوَّلِ

For death is better than a miserable life,

And miserliness is better than prolonged toil.