نَزَلناwe lodged الصالِحيةal-Salihiyya فيin العَشاياthe evenings
نَزَلنا الصالِحية في العَشايا
فَأَغناناso it spared us الضِياءthe radiance عَنfrom needing الضِياءِlight
فَأَغنانا الضِياء عَن الضِياءِ
We lodged at al-Ṣāliḥiyya at nightfall,
We lodged in al-Salihiyya in the evenings.
And its radiance made all other radiance needless.
So radiance spared us the need for light.
وَأَبوابand the doors القُصورof the palaces لَهاthey have صَريرa creaking sound
وَأَبواب القُصور لَها صَرير
أَلَذsweeter لِمسمَعيto my hearing مِنthan صَوتthe sound of نائيmy reed flute
أَلَذ لِمسمَعي مِن صَوت نائي
The palace doors have a creaking
And the palace doors have a creaking sound,
Sweeter to my ear than a far-off camel-driver’s chant.
Sweeter to my ear than the sound of my reed flute.
وَتَطرُبُنيand delight me المَثالثthe third lute strings وَالمَثانيand the second lute strings
وَتَطرُبُني المَثالث وَالمَثاني
وَمَعand with نَغمthe melody of الغِنىwealth نَعمblessings (contextual reading) الغِناءِsong
وَمَع نَغم الغِنى نَعم الغِناءِ
The thirds and the seconds enrapture me,
And the third and second lute strings delight me,
And with prosperity’s melody—excellent is the singing!
And with wealth’s melody come the blessings of song.
