تطاولgrew long فيin بَغدادBaghdad ليليmy night ومنand whoever يَبتspends the night
تطاول في بَغداد ليلي ومن يَبت
بِبغدادin Baghdad يَلبثspends لَيلَهhis night غيرnot راقدasleep
بِبغداد يَلبث لَيلَه غير راقد
My night in Baghdad has grown long, and whoever spends the night
The night in Baghdad grew long for those who stayed awake
in Baghdad spends his night without sleep.
Whoever spends the night in Baghdad does not sleep
بِلادٌa land إِذاwhen زالَdeparted النَهارُthe day تَقافَزَتleapt about
بِلادٌ إِذا زالَ النَهارُ تَقافَزَت
بَراغيثُهاits fleas ماemphatic particle بينَbetween مثنىin pairs وواحدand singly
بَراغيثُها ما بينَ مثنى وواحد
A land where, when day departs, there leap about
A land where, when daylight fades,
its fleas, in pairs and singly—
Its fleas hop between one and none
ديازجةdark-coated شهبgray البُطونِthe bellies كأَنَّهاas though they were
ديازجة شهب البُطونِ كأَنَّها
بِغالُmules بَريدmail service أَرسلتwere let loose فيin المذاودthe feeding troughs
بِغالُ بَريد أَرسلت في المذاود
dark-coated and gray-bellied, as though they were
Like the trails of shooting stars across bellies
postal mules let loose among the feeding troughs.
As if they were messages sent into exile
Sol 6.1