يا أَهلَ بَغداذَ مالي بَينَ أَظهُرِكُم

كَأَنَّني مَسجِدٌ بِالكَرخِ مَهجورُ

O people of Baghdad, why am I among you

As if I were a deserted mosque in al-Karkh,

مُحَلَّأٌ عَن عَطاياكُم عَلى ظَمَإٍ

تُهدى الثِيابُ لِغَيري وَالدَنانيرُ

Deprived of your gifts, thirsty,

While clothes and coins are given to others.