أَلَم تَسأَلِ الرَبعَ أَن يَنطِقا

بِقَرنِ المَنازِلِ قَد أَخلَقا

Did you not ask the pasture to speak

Of the abode it created with the stars' cycle?

دِيارَ الَّتي تَيَّمَت عَقلَهُ

فَيا لَيتَهُ غَيرَها عُلِّقا

The home that captivated his mind -

If only it were someone else he clung to!

وَكَيفَ طِلابي عَراقيَّةً

وَقَد جاوَزَت عيرُها الحِرنِقا

How can my yearnings be for Iraq

When its caravans have crossed Al-Harniq?

تَؤُمُّ الحُداةُ بِها مَنزِلاً

مِنَ الطَفِّ ذا بَهجَةٍ مونِقا

The young camels yearn for it as a halt

With delightful beauty while travelling.

وَكَيفَ طِلابُكَ أَلّا الصِبا

وَغَربَ النَوى بَلَداً مُسحَقا

How can it be your yearnings, unless for youth,

And the days spent in a crumbled land?

وَلَو أَنَّهُ إِذ دَعاهُ الصِبا

إِلَيها أَبَي لَم يَكُن أَخرَقا

Had youth called him there when it did,

He would have refused, and not been torn.

وَلَكِنَّهُ قَرَّبَتهُ المُنى

وَسيقَ إِلى الحَينِ فَاِستَوسَقا

But destiny brought him close,

And he was led to the spring to quench his thirst.