حاشا لست المدارس

ومن بها يضرب المثل

You are not the schools of yore

That exemplify excellence

تهون من بعد ذاك

التعظيم والتشريف

Their grandeur seems diminished after that

Honor and prestige

مستنصرية سبيكه

قد كنت في عصر الصبا

Sbaikah Secondary was magnificent

In my youthful days

واليوم قد صرت بهرج

مزيفه تزييف

But now it has become dilapidated

A cheap fake

ما زال نخلك يرجم

حتى فني الرطب الجني

Your date palms continued being pelted with stones

Until the ripe dates were destroyed

وما بقي في قراحك

غير الكرب والليف

And nothing remains on your farms

Except misery and debris

ذكرت بيتاً ظريف

من كان وكان البغادده

It reminds me of an amusing abode

Of one who was, Baghdad

وكل معنى يندر

من الظريف ظريف

And every meaning that was scarce

Was amusing from the amusing

أي ست ما أكثر زبونك

ما أخلى فراشك من العشي

O lady, how numerous were your patrons

Who never vacated your bed at night

ذي زحمة الباقلاني

وكلهم برغيف

Like the crowd at Al-Baqillani

And all wanting bread