قالsaid العراقُIraq وقدand already رحَلْتَyou departed مُودِّعاًbidding farewell
قال العراقُ وقد رحَلْتَ مُودِّعاً
فاسمَعso listen بعَيْشِكby your life ماwhat العِراقُIraq يقولُsays
فاسمَع بعَيْشِك ما العِراقُ يقولُ
Iraq said, as you departed, taking your leave:
Iraq spoke as you departed, bidding farewell;
“By your life, listen to what Iraq has to say:
So listen, by your life, to what Iraq says:
بَغدادُBaghdad ليfor me خَدٌّa cheek ودجلةُand the Tigris دمعةٌa tear
بَغدادُ لي خَدٌّ ودجلةُ دمعةٌ
أسفاًin grief عليكfor you مدَىthroughout الزّمانِtime تَسيلflows
أسفاً عليك مدَى الزّمانِ تَسيل
Baghdad is my cheek, and the Tigris a tear
Baghdad is my cheek, and the Tigris a tear
that, grieving for you, shall flow for all time.
that flows in grief for you throughout all time.
قدindeed كنتَyou were حَلْياًan ornament فاستُرِدَّthen was reclaimed مُعارُهwhat was lent of it
قد كنتَ حَلْياً فاستُرِدَّ مُعارُه
وكذاكَand thus حالاتُcircumstances الزّمانِtime تَحولchange
وكذاكَ حالاتُ الزّمانِ تَحول
You were a jewel on loan, and what was lent was reclaimed;
You were an ornament on loan, then reclaimed;
so do the fortunes of time change.
and thus the fortunes of time change.
للشّمسِfor the sun منfrom أُفُقِthe horizon of السّماءheaven إذاwhen هوَتْit sank
للشّمسِ من أُفُقِ السّماء إذا هوَتْ
بدَلٌa replacement ومالكَbut you have no لاmay ... never عَدِمْتَyou suffer loss بَديلreplacement
بدَلٌ ومالكَ لا عَدِمْتَ بَديل
When the sun sinks from heaven’s horizon,
The sun, when it sinks from heaven's horizon,
it has a successor; but you—may I never lose you—have no equal.”
has a replacement; but you—may you never suffer loss—have none.
