ماnot حِلَّةُHillah اِبنِson of دَبيسٍDubays
ما حِلَّةُ اِبنِ دَبيسٍ
إِلّاexcept كَحِصنٍlike a fortress حَصينِwell-fortified
إِلّا كَحِصنٍ حَصينِ
Ibn Dubays’s Hillah is
What dwelling like Ibn Dhabis's hold,
just like a well-fortified fortress.
A fortress surely strong and bold,
لِلقَلبِfor the heart فيهاin it قَرارٌrepose
لِلقَلبِ فيها قَرارٌ
وَقُرَّةٌand delight لِلعُيونِfor the eyes
وَقُرَّةٌ لِلعُيونِ
Within it is repose for the heart,
Where peace may rest within the heart,
and delight for the eyes.
And to the eyes much joy impart.
إِنif أَصبَحَbecomes الماءُthe water غَوراًsunken underground
إِن أَصبَحَ الماءُ غَوراً
جاءَتit came بِماءٍwith water مَعينِflowing
جاءَت بِماءٍ مَعينِ
If the water should sink underground,
When waters of the plain would fail,
it would bring flowing water.
It shows a fount that cannot fail;
وَحَولَهاand around it سورُa wall طينٍof clay
وَحَولَها سورُ طينٍ
كَأَنَّهُas though it were طَورُMount سينِSinai
كَأَنَّهُ طَورُ سينِ
And around it stands a wall of clay,
Its clay-built walls are like the Mount
as though it were Mount Sinai.
Named "Sinai," famed in tale and count.