وبمهجتي أفدي ظباء الكرخ من

وبمهجتي أفدي ظباء الكرخ من

بغداد بغداد ربّأت الجمال الواضحِ

بغداد بغداد ربّأت الجمال الواضحِ

And with my lifeblood I would ransom the gazelles of al-Karkh from

With my passion I ransom the gazelles of Al-Karkh from

Baghdad—Baghdad has nurtured radiant beauty.

Baghdad, Baghdad raised obvious beauty

سعد السعود لحظِّهنَّ ملازم

سعد السعود لحظِّهنَّ ملازم

وبمهجتي منهنّ سعد الذابح

وبمهجتي منهنّ سعد الذابح

Sa'd al-Su'ud, the Luck of Lucks, is ever attendant on their fortune,

Saad Al-Saud, their glances kept company

and in my heart, because of them, is Sa'd al-Dhabih, the Slaughterer's Luck.

And with my passion I ransom them from the butcher

ولقد نظرت إلى النجوم بأسرها

ولقد نظرت إلى النجوم بأسرها

نظر المفكِّر في حبيب نازح

نظر المفكِّر في حبيب نازح

And indeed I looked at all the stars,

And I looked upon all the stars

with the gaze of one pondering a far-off beloved.

With the gaze of one who ponders his absent beloved

فوجدتُ فيها طالعي في رامح

فوجدتُ فيها طالعي في رامح

ووجدتُ حظي بين قَرنَي ناطح

ووجدتُ حظي بين قَرنَي ناطح

So among them I found my ascendant in Ramih, the Spearman,

I found my fortune telling in the archer

and I found my fortune between the two horns of Natih, the Butting One.

And I found my luck between the two towering horns

فعلمت أن لا وصل لي منهن إذ

فعلمت أن لا وصل لي منهن إذ

هُنَّ البدور ولا تَحِلُّ برامح

هُنَّ البدور ولا تَحِلُّ برامح

So I knew I could have no union with them, for

So I knew that there would be no union with them

they are full moons, and do not alight at Ramih.

Since they are celestial bodies not graced by a tent pole