عرج على الكرخ وأنزل في مغانيه

عرج على الكرخ وأنزل في مغانيه

وأسأله كيف خلت من غوانيه

وأسأله كيف خلت من غوانيه

Turn aside to al-Karkh and alight in its dwellings,

I visited Karkh and stayed awhile in its taverns

And ask it how they became empty of its lovely women.

And asked how it was bereft of its revelers

عهدي به وهو معمور بسادته

عهدي به وهو معمور بسادته

وجملة الصحب كانوا في نواديه

وجملة الصحب كانوا في نواديه

I remember it inhabited by its lords,

I knew it when it was filled with its masters

And all the companions were in its meeting places.

And all the friends were in its clubs

عهدي به وهو محفوف بكلّ هَناً

عهدي به وهو محفوف بكلّ هَناً

والشمل مجتمع والسعد ثاويهِ

والشمل مجتمع والسعد ثاويهِ

I remember it surrounded by every joy,

I knew it surrounded by all luxury

Its people united, and good fortune dwelling there.

And the group was together and luck was constant

والنُّو والنَّور في أرجائه سطعا

والنُّو والنَّور في أرجائه سطعا

والورد والآس تاها في نواحيه

والورد والآس تاها في نواحيه

And [light] and blossoms shone throughout its grounds,

Light and brilliance shone in its corners

And roses and myrtles flaunted themselves in its quarters.

And flowers and myrtle wandered in its regions

وللصبَّا أرج تحيا النفوس به

وللصبَّا أرج تحيا النفوس به

ممّا على الأرضِ عطرٌ من رياحيه

ممّا على الأرضِ عطرٌ من رياحيه

And the east wind bore a fragrance that revived souls,

The morning breeze had bowers where souls revived

From the perfume upon the earth, from its fragrant herbs.

With the fragrance from its winds covering the earth

والطير فوق أصول البان في طرب

والطير فوق أصول البان في طرب

والغصن بالخَودِ يزري في تثنيهِ

والغصن بالخَودِ يزري في تثنيهِ

And birds were joyful above the trunks of the bān trees,

And birds above the roots of the trees were singing

And the bough, in its swaying, put the lovely maiden to shame.

And branches bent with fruit in their bending

فما له ذهبت أصحابه وعَفَت

فما له ذهبت أصحابه وعَفَت

آثاره وخَوَت منه أعاليهِ

آثاره وخَوَت منه أعاليهِ

Then what ails it? Its companions have gone, and effaced are

Why did its friends go and its traces fade

Its traces; its upper reaches stand empty.

And its heights crumble and fall away from it

لهفي على الجانب الغربي أجمعهِ

لهفي على الجانب الغربي أجمعهِ

فجانب الشرق طبيباً لا يدانيه

فجانب الشرق طبيباً لا يدانيه

Alas for the whole western side!

I yearn for its west side all together

For the eastern side cannot rival it in [pleasantness].

For its east cannot be a match healing me

بالله قف بَدَلي فيه كسارية

بالله قف بَدَلي فيه كسارية

ولم تزل من صدا التفريق ترويهِ

ولم تزل من صدا التفريق ترويهِ

By God, stand there in my stead, like a night-rain cloud,

By God, stand in my stead within it like a drinker

And you never ceased to slake its thirst caused by separation.

And it has not ceased watering from the call of parting

وقف وقوفي به يوم الرحيل ضحىً

وقف وقوفي به يوم الرحيل ضحىً

حيث العقيق على الخدَّين أُجريه

حيث العقيق على الخدَّين أُجريه

And stand as I stood there at midmorning on the day of departure,

Stand my stand in it in the dawn of departure

Where I made carnelian stream down both cheeks.

Where carnelian runs down the cheeks I made it flow