1. سلام على دار رحنا وغودرت

    خلاء من الأهلين موحشة قفرا

    Peace upon a home we left, and which was left behind,

    Empty of its people, desolate and deserted.

  2. تراها كأن لم تغن بالأمس بلقعاً

    ولا عمرت من أهلها قبلنا دهرا

    You see it a wasteland, as though it had not been inhabited yesterday,

    Nor lived in by its people for an age before us.

  3. فيا دار لم يقفرك منا اختيارنا

    ولو أننا نتسطيع كنت لنا قبرا

    O home, our own choice did not leave you empty of us;

    Had we been able, you would have been our grave.

  4. ولكن أقداراً من اللَه أنفذت

    تدمرنا طوعاً لما حل أو قهرا

    But decrees from God were put into effect,

    Crushing us, whether we yield to what befell willingly or by force.

  5. ويا خير دارٍ قد تركت حميدةً

    سقتك الغوادي ما أجل وما أمرا

    And O finest home, left behind worthy of praise,

    May morning rainclouds water you—how glorious, and how bitter!

  6. ويا مجتلي تلك البساتين حفها

    رياض قوارير غدت بعدنا غبرا

    And O vista of those orchards, encircled by

    Gardens of glass that turned dust-gray after we left.

  7. ويا دهر بلغ ساكنيها تحيتي

    ولو سكنوا المروين أو جاوزوا النهرا

    And O Time, convey my greeting to its inhabitants,

    Even if they dwell in the two Mervs or have crossed the river.

  8. فصبراً لسطو الدهر فيهم وحكمه

    وإن كان طعم الصبر مستثقلاً مرا

    So patience with Time's assault upon them and its decree,

    Though patience tastes burdensome and bitter.

  9. لئن كان أظمانا فقد طال ما سقى

    وإن ساءنا فيها فقد طال ما تيسرا

    If it has made us thirsty, long did it give us drink;

    And if it saddened us there, things long went smoothly.

  10. وأيتها الدار الحبيبة لا يرم

    ربوعك جون المرن يهمي بها القطرا

    And O beloved home, may there never depart

    From your grounds dark rainclouds pouring rain upon them.

  11. كأنك لم يسكنك غيد أوانس

    وصيد رجالٍ أشبهوا الأنجم الزهرا

    As though no graceful, companionable women had dwelt in you,

    Nor proud men who resembled the radiant stars.

  12. تفانوا وبادوا واستمرت نواهم

    لمثلهم أسكبت مقلتي العبرى

    They all perished and vanished, and their separation endured.

    For their like I let my tearful eye overflow.

  13. سنصبر بعد اليسر للعسر طاعةً

    لعل جميل الصبر يعقبنا يسرا

    We shall patiently bear hardship after ease, in submission;

    Perhaps noble patience will bring us ease afterward.

  14. وأني ولو عادت وعدنا لعهدها

    فكيف بمن من أهلها سكن القبرا

    Yet how—even if it returned and we returned to its former days?

    Then what of those of its people who dwell in the grave?

  15. ويا دهرنا فيها متى أنت عائد

    فنحمد منك العود أن عدت والكرا

    And O our time there, when will you return?

    Then, if you return, we may praise your return and renewal.

  16. فيا رب يومٍ في دراها وليلةٍ

    وصلنا هناك الشمس باللهو والبدرا

    Ah, many a day in its shelter, and many a night,

    There, through merriment, we joined the sun and the full moon.

  17. فواجسمي المضني وواقلبي المغري

    ووانفسي الثكلىوواكبدي الحرى

    Alas for my wasted body, and alas for my enamored heart!

    And alas for my bereaved soul, and alas for my burning liver!

  18. ويا هم ما أعدى ويا شجو ما أبرا

    ويا وجد ما أشجى ويا بين ما أقرا

    And O grief, how cruel! O sorrow, how wasting!

    And O longing, how grievous! O separation, how chilling!

  19. ويا دهر لا تبعد ويا عهد لا تحل

    ويا دمع لا تجمد ويا سقم لا تبرا

    And O Time, do not grow distant; O former days, do not change.

    And O tears, do not freeze; O sickness, do not heal.

  20. سأندب ذاك العهد ما قامت الخضرا

    على الناس سقفاً واستقلت بنا الغبرا

    I shall mourn those days as long as the green sky stands

    As a roof over people, and the dust-gray earth bears us.