نَادَيْتُI called يَاO سَيْفُSayf (literally, sword) فَمَاbut not
نَادَيْتُ يَا سَيْفُ فَمَا
أَجَابَhe answered حَرْفاًa letter لِلنِّداto the call
أَجَابَ حَرْفاً لِلنِّدا
I called, “O Sayf!” but he did not
answer the call with a single letter.
أَندُبُI mourn سَيْفاًa sword مُغْمداًsheathed
أَندُبُ سَيْفاً مُغْمداً
فيin لَحْدِهِhis grave مُجَرَّداunsheathed; stripped bare
في لَحْدِهِ مُجَرَّدا
I mourn a sword, sheathed
in his grave, yet unsheathed.