1. تحية مغرى بالصبابة مغرم

    معنى بعيد الدار والأهل والهم

    A greeting from one smitten with longing, consumed by love—

    Tormented, his home, his kin, his cares all far away.

  2. تراها إذا ما أقبل الركب هاجرت

    وتسى إذا ما عرسوا نحو تكتم

    You see it depart whenever the caravan approaches,

    And [travel by night] toward Taktum when they halt to rest.

  3. أحملها ريح الجنوب مع الصبا

    إلى أرض نعم وافؤادي من نعم

    I have the south wind carry it, together with the east wind,

    To Nuʿm’s land—alas for my heart because of Nuʿm!

  4. واكنى بنعم في النسيب تعلة

    وافدى بها من لا أقول ولا أسمى

    And in love verse I use Nuʿm as a veiled name, for solace,

    And offer her as ransom for one I neither mention nor name.

  5. وأرتاح للبرق العراقي إن بدا

    وأين من الماجان أرض المخرم

    And I rejoice at Iraqi lightning, should it appear—

    Yet how far from al-Majan is the land of al-Mukharrim!

  6. سلام على أرض العراق وأهلها

    وسقى ثراها من ملث ومرزم

    Peace upon the land of Iraq and its people,

    And may clouds of lasting rain and thunder water its soil.

  7. بلاد هرقنا قهوة اللهو بعدها

    ففقدي لها فقد الشبيه بالرغم

    A land after leaving which we poured away the wine of revelry;

    So my loss of it is the loss of a counterpart, against my will.