ماnever شامَglimpsed بطَرفيwith my gaze بارقاًa lightning flash للشامِtoward al-Sham
ما شامَ بطَرفي بارقاً للشامِ
إلاّexcept that وارفَضَّand poured forth دمعُtears عينيmy eye الهاميstreaming
إلاّ وارفَضَّ دمعُ عيني الهامي
Never did I glimpse a lightning flash toward al-Sham
My eyes shed tears unceasingly
Without my eye’s streaming tears pouring forth.
Whenever my gaze turns toward Damascus
منfrom أينَwhere أناI ومصرُand Egypt ماhow أضيعَwasted ماwhat
من أينَ أنا ومصرُ ما أضيعَ ما
كانتwere أَيامُهاits days مِنَamong الأيّامِthe days
كانت أَيامُها مِنَ الأيّامِ
What have I to do with Egypt? How wasted
How could I ever forget Egypt?
Were its days among all days!
Its days were the best of days
Sol 6.1