أَضحَت رُقَيَّةُ دونَها البِشرُ

أَضحَت رُقَيَّةُ دونَها البِشرُ

فَالرَقَّةُ السَوداءُ فَالغَمرُ

فَالرَقَّةُ السَوداءُ فَالغَمرُ

Ruqayya now lies beyond al-Bashar;

Ruqayya is now beyond al-Bishr,

then al-Raqqa the Black, then al-Ghamr.

then Black al-Raqqa, then al-Ghamr.

يا لَيتَ شِعري كَيفَ مَرَّ بِها

يا لَيتَ شِعري كَيفَ مَرَّ بِها

وَبِأَهلِها الأَيّامُ وَالدَهرُ

وَبِأَهلِها الأَيّامُ وَالدَهرُ

Would that I knew how, over her

Ah, if only I knew how they have passed over her

and over her people, the days and Time have passed.

and her people—the days and time.