أَلا هَلَكَ المُلوكُ وَعَبدُ عَمرٍو

وَخُلَّيَت العِراقُ لِمَن بَغاها

Alas! The kings have perished and the slave of ‘Amr

And Iraq is left to whoever desires it

فَكَم مِن وَالدٍ لَكَ يا بنَ بِشرٍ

تَأَزَّرَ بِالمَكارِمِ وَاِرتَداها

So how many fathers do you have, o son of Bishr

Who wore virtues and donned them

بَنى لَكَ مَرثَدٌ وَأَبوكَ بِشرٌ

عَلى الشُمَّ البَواذِخ مِن ذُراها

Your father Bishr built for you the lofty Marthad

Upon the magnificent peaks of its structures