عنديI have لأَضيافيfor my guests إذاwhen الليلthe night دَجاgrows dark
عندي لأَضيافي إذا الليل دَجا
خبزُbread سميذُfine white flour مثلlike حَلَماتteats المهاthe oryx
خبزُ سميذُ مثل حَلَمات المها
I have for my guests, when night grows dark,
When night falls, I have for my guests
Fine white loaves, like the teats of oryx.
Bread like the full moons of Meha.
جاءcame بهاwith them الصانعُthe baker كُلٌّeach فيin حِذاalignment
جاء بها الصانعُ كُلٌّ في حِذا
مثلlike الرحىthe millstone قدalready جُعِلتwas placed علىupon الرّحىthe millstone
مثل الرحى قد جُعِلت على الرّحى
The baker brought them, each aligned,
The baker brought them, each
Like a millstone set upon a millstone.
Placed on the other like millstones.
شَبَّهتُهاI likened them إذwhen بهاin them النقصdiminution بداappeared
شَبَّهتُها إذ بها النقص بدا
بالبدرto the full moon ترميهafflict it اللياليthe nights بالضَّنَىwith wasting illness
بالبدر ترميه الليالي بالضَّنَى
I likened them, when their dwindling began to show,
Seeing them decreasing, I compared them
To the full moon, which the nights afflict with wasting.
To the moon pelted nightly with shadows.
وأيand what شئthing أبداًever يُعطىis granted البقَاpermanence
وأي شئ أبداً يُعطى البقَا
And what thing is ever granted permanence?
What thing endures forever?