لَقَدindeed أَقامَhas taken his stand عَلىover بَغدادَBaghdad ناعيهاthe herald of her death
لَقَد أَقامَ عَلى بَغدادَ ناعيها
فَليَبكِهاso let him weep for her لِخَرابِfor the devastation of الدَهرِtime باكيهاher mourner
فَليَبكِها لِخَرابِ الدَهرِ باكيها
Indeed, the herald of her death has taken his stand over Baghdad.
He who mourns for Baghdad has established over her a lamentation
So let her mourner weep for her, for the ravages of time.
So let him weep for her, for the ruin of fate's vicissitudes.
كانَتshe was عَلىdespite ماwhat بِهاafflicted her وَالحَربُand war موقَدَةٌablaze
كانَت عَلى ما بِها وَالحَربُ موقَدَةٌ
وَالنارُand fire تُطفِئُextinguishes حُسناًbeauty فيin نَواحيهاher quarters
وَالنارُ تُطفِئُ حُسناً في نَواحيها
Despite all she suffered, while war was ablaze
She was in a blazing war and conflagration
And fire was extinguishing beauty in her quarters,
And fire extinguishes the beauty in her environs.
تُرجىis hoped for لَهاfor her عَودَةٌa restoration فيin الدَهرِtime صالِحَةٌfavorable
تُرجى لَها عَودَةٌ في الدَهرِ صالِحَةٌ
فَالآنَso now أَضمَرَhas harbored inwardly مِنهاof her اليَأسَdespair راجيهاone who hoped for her
فَالآنَ أَضمَرَ مِنها اليَأسَ راجيها
A happy restoration was still hoped for her in time.
A goodly return is hoped for her in fate
So now he who hoped for her harbors despair of her.
But now despair has concealed from her any who would wish it.
مِثلَlike العَجوزِthe old woman الَّتيwho وَلَّتhas departed شَبيبَتُهاher youth
مِثلَ العَجوزِ الَّتي وَلَّت شَبيبَتُها
وَبانَand departed عَنهاfrom her كَمالٌperfection كانَused to يُحظيهاwin favor for her
وَبانَ عَنها كَمالٌ كانَ يُحظيها
Like an old woman whose youth has fled,
Like an old woman whose youth has deserted her
And the perfection that once won favor for her has left her.
And perfection has vanished that once graced her.
لَزَّتpressed close بِهاbeside her ضَرَّةٌa co-wife زَهراءُradiant واضِحَةٌbright
لَزَّت بِها ضَرَّةٌ زَهراءُ واضِحَةٌ
كَالشَمسِlike the sun أَحسَنُmore beautiful مِنهاthan her عِندَin the eyes of رائيهاher beholder
كَالشَمسِ أَحسَنُ مِنها عِندَ رائيها
A radiant, bright co-wife has pressed close beside her,
A clear, blossoming harm has adhered to her
Like the sun, lovelier than she in her beholder’s eyes.
That was more beautiful than it, in the eyes of the beholder.
Sol 6.1