Not yet the tide of war is spent Red stains the Tigris's timeless flow Death's haze cloaks my lovely skies Stark my temples smouldering glow.
My mothers carried in their wombs Old spirits of an ancient land Today my children's pride is torn By a cursed invader's hand.
Resounding to a stubborn faith For years I watched each day behold, -Tho' hostage to a callous world- My children's spirits strong and bold.
There were days when hunger struck And ills had found no chance of cure I saw my children , young and old Still keep their faith- fine and pure.
My name adorned so many a verse And long , my gates, the traveller's sought My glories they could scarce divine Whose souls by dimes and cents are bought.
I thought those tales of ancient times The renown that once I had known Would stay marauding guns and tanks And let bloom the seeds that I had sown.
I thought there was still the hope That Time had taught most men to feel The anguish of the orphaned child Watching Death its parents steal.
They seek to wrest from deep within The essence of my children's life, Their falsehoods born of grasping greed Condemned me to this ****** strife.
Now will they strip this fallen prey Like vultures gathered from afar None sought to hear my anguished cry Or stem this accursed tide of war.
This ancient land will nurse its wounds In silence- nor lament the day, But nightly my desert winds shall curse Those hands that dared upon me lay.
Tomorrow, Tomorrow -I'll be there When my tormentors long are gone So Mother grieve not for your child Await with me those to be born.
They'll nurture till the end of time The seeds of anger and of hate Raise to the skies my hoary head And roar defiance at my Fate.
Such thunder will the Heaven's rent The stars avenging orbs of light As ancient spirits across the land Chain foes to dungeons of the night.
I'll rise again, tall and strong Eternal as my desert's sand Nourished by the coursing blood Of martyrs of this Arab land.