ترحَّلت عن بغداد أطيبَ منزِلٍ
وأبهى بلاد الله مرأىً ومنظرا
I journeyed away from Baghdad, the finest of abodes,
I departed from Baghdad, the most pleasant of dwellings,
The most splendid of God’s lands in prospect and vista;
and the fairest of God’s lands in appearance and aspect.
وفارقتُ أقواماً إذا ما ذكرتهم
ترقرقَ ماءُ العين ثم تَحَدَّرا
And I parted from people who, whenever I remember them,
And I parted from people: whenever I remember them,
Make tears well in my eyes, then stream down.
tears well up in my eyes, then stream down.
فكم من أديبٍ في معانيه بارع
وأبلجَ في عِلمِ الشَّريعة أَزهرَا
How many a man of letters there was, a master of his ideas,
For how many a man of letters, masterful in his ideas,
And many a radiant scholar, resplendent in sacred law.
and a brilliant scholar, radiant in knowledge of sacred law!
أروحُ على بَرح الهمومِ وأغتدي
أكابدُ أحزاناً يضيقُ بها الثَّرا
Evening and morning, I endure the anguish of cares,
I go at evening amid the anguish of cares, and at dawn,
Struggling with sorrows for which the very earth has no room.
enduring sorrows for which the earth is too narrow.
ولم أبك مربعَ العامِريَّةِ باللَّوى
ولا رَسمَ دارٍ بالثَّنيَّةِ مُقفِرا
I did not weep for the ʿĀmiriyya’s encampment at al-Liwā,
I have not wept for al-ʿĀmiriyya’s spring dwelling at al-Liwā,
Nor for the deserted trace of a dwelling at al-Thaniyya;
nor for the deserted remains of a house at al-Thaniyya.
ولكنَّني أبكي مُقَامي ببلدةٍ
أُأَمَّل أن ألقى صديقاً ولا أرى
Rather, I weep for my sojourn in a town
But I weep over my stay in a town
Where I keep hoping to meet a friend, yet see none.
where I hope to meet a friend, yet see none.
Sol 6.1