حاشا لست المدارس

حاشا لست المدارس

ومن بها يضرب المثل

ومن بها يضرب المثل

Far be it from the mistress of schools—

You are not the schools of yore

she who is held up as a model—

That exemplify excellence

تهون من بعد ذاك

تهون من بعد ذاك

التعظيم والتشريف

التعظيم والتشريف

to be brought low after such

Their grandeur seems diminished after that

exaltation and honor.

Honor and prestige

مستنصرية سبيكه

مستنصرية سبيكه

قد كنت في عصر الصبا

قد كنت في عصر الصبا

Mustansiriyya, an ingot

Sbaikah Secondary was magnificent

you were in your youthful days;

In my youthful days

واليوم قد صرت بهرج

واليوم قد صرت بهرج

مزيفه تزييف

مزيفه تزييف

and today you have become base coin,

But now it has become dilapidated

debased through and through.

A cheap fake

ما زال نخلك يرجم

ما زال نخلك يرجم

حتى فني الرطب الجني

حتى فني الرطب الجني

Your date palms kept being pelted

Your date palms continued being pelted with stones

until the fresh, ripe dates were gone,

Until the ripe dates were destroyed

وما بقي في قراحك

وما بقي في قراحك

غير الكرب والليف

غير الكرب والليف

and nothing remained in your plot

And nothing remains on your farms

but frond stubs and palm fiber.

Except misery and debris

ذكرت بيتاً ظريف

ذكرت بيتاً ظريف

من كان وكان البغادده

من كان وكان البغادده

I recalled a witty verse

It reminds me of an amusing abode

from the Baghdadis' kān wa-kān;

Of one who was, Baghdad

وكل معنى يندر

وكل معنى يندر

من الظريف ظريف

من الظريف ظريف

and every thought that comes

And every meaning that was scarce

from a wit is witty:

Was amusing from the amusing

أي ست ما أكثر زبونك

أي ست ما أكثر زبونك

ما أخلى فراشك من العشي

ما أخلى فراشك من العشي

O lady, how many customers you have!

O lady, how numerous were your patrons

How empty your bed is come evening!

Who never vacated your bed at night

ذي زحمة الباقلاني

ذي زحمة الباقلاني

وكلهم برغيف

وكلهم برغيف

This is al-Baqillani's crowd,

Like the crowd at Al-Baqillani

and each of them with a loaf.

And all wanting bread