كيف الرُّقادُ ولاتَ حين رُقادِ

رَحَلَ الشَّبابُ ولم أفُزْ بمرادِ

How can I sleep when you are not there?

Youth has departed and I did not attain my wish

هِمَمٌ عن الغرض المُحاوَل بُدِّلتْ

أمَلاً فَبدَّلَتِ الكَرى بسُهادِ

Aims for the goal I struggled for were changed

To a hope that fate exchanged for oblivion

سِيَّانِ مُعْتلجُ الحِمامِ وحسْرةٌ

ضربتْ وجوهَ العَزْم بالأسْدادِ

Indifferent is the passionate lover and sorrowful is he

Who strikes the faces of resolve with misfortunes

إنَّ المَعالي حالَ دونَ بُلوغِها

عَدمُ الثَّراءِ وقِلَّةُ الإِنْجادِ

Indeed great deeds were hindered from reaching

By lack of wealth and scarcity of support

فعلى العراقِ كآبَةٌ منْ مُغْرَمٍ

جعل الضُّلوعَ ركائبَ الأحْقادِ

So over Iraq is the gloom of a lover

Who made the ribs platforms for grudges

يُبْدي حَفائظَهُ وليس بحاصِل

إلاَّ على الإِبْراقِ والإِرْعادِ

He discloses his innermost secrets but gains nothing

Except shedding tears and lightning flashes