يا لِغَنيٍّ ما لِناديكُمُ

قَد فَقَدَ الطّارِقَ وَالسّامِرا

O my singer friends, what has happened to your club?

It has lost its night visitor and conversationalist,

وَأَهمِلَ السَّرح بِأَرجائِهِ

لا ذائِداً فيهِ وَلا عاقِرا

And neglected its enclosure in all its expanse,

With neither a repeller in it, nor a barren woman.

لَعَلَّ عَضباً لِلرَّدى بائِراً

أَصابَ عَضبَ الدَّولَةِ الباتِرا

Perhaps a spreading wrath against decay

Has incurred the anger of the destroying state.

ما وَجَدَ الوارِثُ مِن بَعدِهِ

إِلّا حَديثاً في العُلا سائِرا

The heir found after him

Only a tale circulating in the heights.

راحَ بِنَجلاء كِلابِيَّةً

تَسفَحُ جُوداً في الثَّرى قاطِرا

He went away downcast like a mournful she-dog

Profusely shedding tears on the soil.

فَما لَهَذا البَيتِ مِن عامِرٍ

لَم يُبقِ بَيتاً لِلنَّدى عامِرا

So this house has no one to look after it,

Or keep it up as a house of hospitality.