منwho تَهَيّاbecame available لهto him أَخa brother كَأخlike a brother ليof mine
من تَهَيّا له أَخ كَأخ لي
كانَhe was دونَto the exclusion of الأَنامall people أُنسيmy solace وَخِلّيand my close friend
كانَ دونَ الأَنام أُنسي وَخِلّي
Who has ever had a brother like mine?
He alone among all people was my solace and close friend.
رَفَعتهraised him حالa change of fortune فَحاوَلso he tried حطّيbringing me low
رَفَعته حال فَحاوَل حطّي
وَأَبىand he refused أَنto يَعِزّbe exalted إِلّاexcept بِذُلّيthrough my humiliation
وَأَبى أَن يَعِزّ إِلّا بِذُلّي
A change of fortune raised him, and he tried to bring me low.
And he refused to be exalted except through my humiliation.
لَمnot يَكُنthere was بَينَbetween أَنthat تَوَلّىhe turned away وَأَنand that أَقbeginning of 'he turned toward'
لَم يَكُن بَينَ أَن تَوَلّى وَأَن أَق
بلَcompletion of 'he turned toward' إِلّاexcept مِقدارthe duration عَقدtying وَحَلِّand untying
بلَ إِلّا مِقدار عَقد وَحَلِّ
No interval lay between his turning away and his turn—
—ing toward me, save the time to tie and untie a knot.
Sol 6.1