بِعَيشِكَBy your life خَبِّرنيtell me عَنِabout اِسمِthe name of مَدينَةٍa city
بِعَيشِكَ خَبِّرني عَنِ اِسمِ مَدينَةٍ
يَكونُis رُباعِيّاًfour-lettered إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle ذَكَرتَهُyou mention it
يَكونُ رُباعِيّاً إِذا ما ذَكَرتَهُ
By your life, tell me of a city's name:
By your life, tell me the name of a city
It has four letters when you mention it,
That is quadrilateral, if you mention it,
عَلىdespite أَنَّهُthe fact that it is حَرفانِtwo letters حينَwhen تَقولُهُyou say it
عَلى أَنَّهُ حَرفانِ حينَ تَقولُهُ
وَمَعناهُand its meaning حَرفٌa letter واحِدٌsingle إِنif قَلَبتَهُyou reverse it
وَمَعناهُ حَرفٌ واحِدٌ إِن قَلَبتَهُ
Though it is two letters when you say it,
Yet it's two letters, when you say it,
And its meaning is a single letter if you reverse it.
And one letter in meaning, if you invert it.
Sol 6.1