kaanat ʿinda ʿalii baabaa khaadimatun dhakiyyatun asmuhaa marjaanatuAli Baba had a clever servant girl called Morgiana.
jaa’a qaa’idu al-luṣuuṣi ilaa al-madiinati wawajada bayta ʿalii baabaaThe thieves' leader came to the town and found Ali Baba's house.
waḍaʿa ʿalaamatan bayḍaa’a ʿalaa al-baabi liyaʿuuda laylanHe put a white mark on the door so that he could return at night.
ra’at marjaanatu al-ʿalaamata fawaḍaʿat mithlahaa ʿalaa kulli abwaabi al-ḥayyiMorgiana saw the mark and put the same one on all the doors in the neighbourhood.
jaa’a al-luṣuuṣu laylan falam yaʿrifuu ayya baytin yaqṣiduunaThe thieves came at night and did not know which house they meant.
ʿaada al-qaa’idu baʿda ayyaamin biḥiilatin jadiidatin wa’akhfaa rijaalahu fii jiraari zaytin kabiiratinThe leader came back days later with a new trick and hid his men in big oil jars.
samiʿat marjaanatu ṣawtan yakhruju min iḥdaa al-jiraariMorgiana heard a voice coming out of one of the jars.
aghlaqati al-jiraara wanaadati al-ḥurraasa fa’amsakuu al-luṣuuṣa kullaahumShe shut the jars and called the guards, who caught all the thieves.
shakara ʿalii baabaa marjaanata wa’aʿṭaahaa ḥurriyyatahaaAli Baba thanked Morgiana and gave her her freedom.
adh-dhakaa’u yaḥmii al-buyuuta akthara mina as-suyuufiIntelligence protects homes better than swords.