وَقَدand indeed كانَتwere الاِيّامُthe days اِذwhen نَحنُwe بِاللَوىat al-Liwā
وَقَد كانَت الاِيّامُ اِذ نَحنُ بِاللَوى
تَحَسَنgrew better لَوif only دامَhad lasted ذاكَthat التَحَسُّنimprovement
تَحَسَن لَو دامَ ذاكَ التَحَسُّن
And indeed the days, when we were at al-Liwā,
The days when we were together in the meadows
were growing better—if only that improvement had lasted!
Would have been good had that happiness lasted.
وَلكِنand yet دَهراًan age بَعدafter دَهرan age تَقَلَّبَتturned about
وَلكِن دَهراً بَعد دَهر تَقَلَّبَت
بِناwith us مِنfrom نَواحيهِits quarters ظُهورbacks وابطنand bellies
بِنا مِن نَواحيهِ ظُهور وابطن
But age after age, we were tossed about
But time after time changed for us,
by backs and bellies from time's quarters.
Bringing now joy and now sorrow.
Sol 6.1