كَيفَhow الوصولُreaching إِلىto سُعادٍSu‘ad وَدونَهاand before her
كَيفَ الوصولُ إِلى سُعادٍ وَدونَها
قُلَلُsummits الجِبالِthe mountains وَدونَهُنَّand before them حُتوفُdeaths
قُلَلُ الجِبالِ وَدونَهُنَّ حُتوفُ
How can I reach Su‘ad, when before her stand
How to reach a happiness beyond
mountain peaks, and before them lie deadly perils?
The mountains' peaks, beyond their slopes -
وَالرَجلُand the foot حافِيَةٌbare وَلاand no ليfor me مَركَبٌa mount
وَالرَجلُ حافِيَةٌ وَلا لي مَركَبٌ
وَالكَفُّand the hand صِفرٌempty وَالطَريقُand the road مَخوفُperilous
وَالكَفُّ صِفرٌ وَالطَريقُ مَخوفُ
And my foot is bare, and I have no mount;
When I've no shoes upon my feet
and my hand is empty, and the road is perilous.
No steed to ride, and dread the road ahead.