أَلا يا حَبَّذا نَجدٌ

وَمَن أُسكِنها أَرضا

Oh how excellent is Najd!

And who lives on its land,

وَحَيّا حَبَّذا ما هُم

وَلو لي حَقِدوا البُغضا

How lively are its lovable people,

Even if they bore me hatred,

وَمِن أَجلِ الهَوى أُدنى

لِمَن لَم أَرضَهُ مَعضا

And because of passion I approach,

Those who did not please me when angry,

عَلِقتُكِ ناشِئاً حَتّى

رَأَيتُ الرَأسَ مُبيَضّا

I clung to you as a youth,

Until I saw your head turning white,

فَإِن تَتَعاهَدي وُدّي

إِذاً تَجِدينَهُ غَضّا

So if you tend to my love,

You will find it ever fresh,

عَلى بُخلٍ وَتَصريدٍ

وَقَبضِ نَوالِكُم قَبضا

Despite stinginess, coldness,

And your withdrawal of favors,

أَهيمُ بِذِكرِكُم لَو أَن

نَ خَيراً مِنكُمُ بَضّا

I crave your memory, even if

I found in you something displeasing,

فَيا عَجَباً لِمَوقِفِنا

يُعاتِبُ بَعضُنا بَعضا

Oh, how strange is our stance!

One of us reproaches the other!