ذَهَبٌgold فيin ذَهَبٍgold راbeginning of ‘went’
ذَهَبٌ في ذَهَبٍ را
حَcompletion of ‘went’ بِهاwith it غُصنُa branch لُجَينِsilver
حَ بِها غُصنُ لُجَينِ
Gold within gold, borne
by a branch of silver.
فَأَتَتand so it came قُرَّةَdelight عَينٍan eye
فَأَتَت قُرَّةَ عَينٍ
مِنfrom يَدَيthe two hands of قُرَّةِdelight عَينِan eye
مِن يَدَي قُرَّةِ عَينِ
And it came, a delight to the eye,
from the two hands of a delight to the eye.
قَمَرٌa moon يَحمِلُcarries شَمساًa sun
قَمَرٌ يَحمِلُ شَمساً
مُرَحَباًwelcome بِالقَمَرَينِto the two moons
مُرَحَباً بِالقَمَرَينِ
A moon bearing a sun—
welcome to the two moons!
لاmay not جَرىpass بَينيbetween me وَلاnor بَيbeginning of ‘between’
لا جَرى بَيني وَلا بَي
نَهُماremainder of ‘between’ plus ‘them both’ طائِرُa bird بَينِparting
نَهُما طائِرُ بَينِ
May there pass neither between me nor between
the two of them any bird of parting.
وَبَقيناand may we remain ماas long as بَقيناwe remain alive
وَبَقينا ما بَقينا
أَبَداًforever مُلتَقِيَينِboth together
أَبَداً مُلتَقِيَينِ
And may we remain, as long as we live,
forever together,
فيin غَبوقٍevening drinking وَصَبوحٍand morning drinking
في غَبوقٍ وَصَبوحٍ
لَمnot نَبِعwe sold نَقداًcash بِدَينِfor credit
لَم نَبِع نَقداً بِدَينِ
in evening and morning drinking.
We have not traded cash for credit.