أَنضختُI stayed بِآطامِat the fortresses of المَدينَةِMedina أَربَعاًfour
أَنضختُ بِآطامِ المَدينَةِ أَربَعاً
وَخَمساًand five يُغَنّيsings فَوقَهاabove them اللَيلُthe night طائِرُa bird
وَخَمساً يُغَنّي فَوقَها اللَيلُ طائِرُ
I tarried by Medina’s fortress-towers for four nights,
I stayed at Medina’s fortresses for four nights,
and five more, while a bird sings above them by night.
And five, a bird singing above them through the night.
فَلَمّاthen when قَضىfulfilled أَصحابُناour companions كُلَّevery حاجَةٍneed
فَلَمّا قَضى أَصحابُنا كُلَّ حاجَةٍ
وَخَطَّand wrote كِتاباًa document فيin المَدينَةِMedina ساطِرُa scribe
وَخَطَّ كِتاباً في المَدينَةِ ساطِرُ
Then, when our companions had fulfilled every need,
Then, when our companions had fulfilled every need,
and a scribe had penned a letter in Medina,
And a scribe had written a document in Medina,
شَدَدتُI fastened عَلَيهاupon her رَحلَهاher saddle وَشَليلَهاand her saddlecloth
شَدَدتُ عَلَيها رَحلَها وَشَليلَها
مِنَof الدَرسِthe worn-out cloth وَالشَعراءِand the shaggy hide وَالبَطنُand the belly ضامِرُlean
مِنَ الدَرسِ وَالشَعراءِ وَالبَطنُ ضامِرُ
I cinched her saddle and saddlecloth upon her—
I fastened her saddle and saddlecloth upon her,
of worn cloth and coarse haircloth—her belly gaunt.
Of worn-out cloth and shaggy hide, her belly lean.
