كانت زبيد وأنتم بازائها

كانت زبيد وأنتم بازائها

بك جنة ثم ارتحلت بزائها

بك جنة ثم ارتحلت بزائها

Zabid was—with you beside it—

Zabid was there while you stood facing it

a paradise through you; then you departed with its zāʾ.

It was your heaven, but then it moved on from it

ومتى تعد عادت وأقبل نحوها

ومتى تعد عادت وأقبل نحوها

ما ضاع منها ثم باء بيائها

ما ضاع منها ثم باء بيائها

And whenever you return, it is restored, and toward it comes

And whenever it would come and go back to it

what it lost, then returns with its yāʾ.

Nothing that left it was ever lost to it