لَمّاwhen وَرَدَتarrived فَدَيتُهاmay I be their ransom أَسطُرُكُمyour lines
لَمّا وَرَدَت فَدَيتُها أَسطُرُكُم
أَرسَلتُI sent جَوابَهاa reply to them لِكَيso that أَشكُرُكُمI thank you
أَرسَلتُ جَوابَها لِكَي أَشكُرُكُم
When your lines arrived—may I be their ransom—
When your letter arrived I ransomed it, to thank you through my lines
I sent a reply to them so that I might thank you.
I sent its reply so I may thank you
لَوif أَمكَنَنيI could بَعَثتُI would send مَعwith خَطِّthe writing of يَديmy hand
لَو أَمكَنَني بَعَثتُ مَع خَطِّ يَدي
عَينيmy eye فَلَعَلَّso perhaps ساعَةًfor a while تَنظُرُكُمit gazes upon you
عَيني فَلَعَلَّ ساعَةً تَنظُرُكُم
If I could, I would send along with my handwriting
If I were able, I would have sent along with my script
My eye, so perhaps it might gaze upon you for a while.
My eyes, so perhaps for an hour they may look upon you