لَعَمريby my life لَئِنif indeed كانَwas اِبنُson أُمّيmy mother دَعَتshe called بِهِfor him
لَعَمري لَئِن كانَ اِبنُ أُمّي دَعَت بِهِ
شَعوبٌShaʿūb (Death) مِنَamong الأَحداثِthe calamities ذاتُpossessed of ضَريرِfierce power
شَعوبٌ مِنَ الأَحداثِ ذاتُ ضَريرِ
By my life, if my mother's son was summoned
By my life, if my mother's son answered when called
By Shaʿūb—Death, a calamity of fierce power—
By the young folk of the tribes with cries of misfortune,
لَقَدindeed كانَwas مِعجالاًprompt قِراهُhis fare for guests وَجارُهُand his neighbor
لَقَد كانَ مِعجالاً قِراهُ وَجارُهُ
أَعَزُّmore secure مِنَthan العَصماءِthe white-footed she-ibex فَوقَatop ثَبيرِThabīr
أَعَزُّ مِنَ العَصماءِ فَوقَ ثَبيرِ
His guest-fare was indeed promptly served, and his neighbor
To his neighbors he'd be a refuge; past compare
Was more secure than the white-footed she-ibex atop Thabīr.
More precious than virginity over a grave.
أَخيmy brother ماwhat a! أَخيmy brother ماnot مِنany (emphatic) أَخٍbrother كانَwas مِثلَهُlike him
أَخي ما أَخي ما مِن أَخٍ كانَ مِثلَهُ
لِلَيلَةِfor a night ريحٍwind لِلقِرىfor hospitality وَنَصيرِand a helper
لِلَيلَةِ ريحٍ لِلقِرى وَنَصيرِ
My brother—what a brother! No brother was his equal
O brother mine, no brother was ever such as thou:
On a windy night, in hospitality and as a helper.
A night wind for the villages, ready with help.
Sol 6.1