فُجعَتْwas bereaved حماةُHama ببدرِهاof her full moon بلnay صدرِهاher chief
فُجعَتْ حماةُ ببدرِها بل صدرِها
بلnay بحرِهاher sea بلnay حبرِهاher scholar الغواصِthe diver
بل بحرِها بل حبرِها الغواصِ
Hama was bereaved of her full moon—nay, her chief;
Hamah was devastated by the loss of Badr,
Nay, her sea—nay, her deep-diving scholar.
Nay, her very heart, nay her ocean, her deep sea diver.
اللهُGod أكبرُgreatest كيفَhow حالُthe condition مدينةٍa city
اللهُ أكبرُ كيفَ حالُ مدينةٍ
ماتَdied المطيعُthe obedient one بهاin it ويبقىand lives on العاصيthe disobedient one
ماتَ المطيعُ بها ويبقى العاصي
God is greatest! How fares a city
God is greatest! What is the state of a city
Where the obedient one has died, while the disobedient lives on?
When the obedient dies in it but the disobedient remains?