لَعَمرُ أَبيكَ ما لَحمي بِرُبٍّ

لَعَمرُ أَبيكَ ما لَحمي بِرُبٍّ

وَلا لِبَني عَلَيَّ وَلا سَلائي

وَلا لِبَني عَلَيَّ وَلا سَلائي

By your father's life, my meat is no master,

By your life! My flesh is not plump

Nor are my milk or clarified butter masters over me.

Nor have I milk to feed my children,

وَلا رَحلي بِمَخزونٍ عَلَيهِ

وَلا رَحلي بِمَخزونٍ عَلَيهِ

إِذا جاري اِستعارَ وَلا رِدائي

إِذا جاري اِستعارَ وَلا رِدائي

Nor is my saddle withheld from him,

Nor a loaded camel to provide for them

When my neighbor asks to borrow—nor is my cloak.

If a neighbor asks to borrow from me or needs a cloak.

وَلا أُسقى وَلا يُسقى شَريبي

وَلا أُسقى وَلا يُسقى شَريبي

وَاَمنَعُهُ إِذا أَورَدتُ مائي

وَاَمنَعُهُ إِذا أَورَدتُ مائي

Nor do I water my herd while my watering companion goes without,

I give no one to drink nor quench my own thirst

Denying him water when I bring my herd to my watering place.

Though I pour water for my camels when they are parched

يُعِلُّ وَبَعضُ ما أُسقى نِهالٌ

يُعِلُّ وَبَعضُ ما أُسقى نِهالٌ

وَأُشرِبُهُ عَلى إِبِلي الظِماءِ

وَأُشرِبُهُ عَلى إِبِلي الظِماءِ

He gives a second drink while some I water are still at their first,

And save some for the small trees I planted.

And I give him water ahead of my thirsty camels.

I water them while my camels go thirsty.