ياO عُقبَʿUqb لاno عُقبَʿUqb ليfor me فيin البَيتِthe house أَسمَعُهُI hear him
يا عُقبَ لا عُقبَ لي في البَيتِ أَسمَعُهُ
مَنwho لِلأَرامِلِfor the widows وَالأَضيافِand the guests وَالجارِand the neighbor
مَن لِلأَرامِلِ وَالأَضيافِ وَالجارِ
O ʿUqb, I have no ʿUqb in the house to hear.
O Ukbah, in my house there is no Ukbah to hear
Who will care for the widows, the guests, and the neighbor?
Who cares for widows, guests, and neighbors?
أَمor مَنwho لِبابٍfor a door إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle اِشتَدَّgrows stern حاجِبُهُits doorkeeper
أَم مَن لِبابٍ إِذا ما اِشتَدَّ حاجِبُهُ
أَمor مَنwho لِخَصمٍfor an adversary بَعيدِfar-reaching السَأوِaspiration خَطّارِswaggering
أَم مَن لِخَصمٍ بَعيدِ السَأوِ خَطّارِ
Or who will face a doorway when its doorkeeper grows stern?
Who guards the door when its frown grows stern?
Or who will confront a swaggering adversary of far-reaching ambition?
Who confronts a distant, quarrelsome foe?
أَمor مَنwho يَقومُundertakes بِفاروقٍwith a decisive judgment إِذاwhen اِختَلَفَتclash
أَم مَن يَقومُ بِفاروقٍ إِذا اِختَلَفَت
غَياطِلُdense shadows الشَكِّof doubt مِنfrom وَردٍcoming to water وَإِصدارِand leading away from water
غَياطِلُ الشَكِّ مِن وَردٍ وَإِصدارِ
Or who will offer a decisive judgment when
Who stands for justice when doubts arise
the dense shadows of doubt clash over coming to water and leaving it?
From rumors and accusations that circulate?
أَمor لِلقَناةِfor the spear إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle عَيَّis at a loss قائِلُهاits speaker
أَم لِلقَناةِ إِذا ما عَيَّ قائِلُها
أَمor لِلأَعِنَّةِfor the reins ياO عُقبَʿUqb بنَson of عَمّارِʿAmmār
أَم لِلأَعِنَّةِ يا عُقبَ بنَ عَمّارِ
Or who is there for the spear when its spokesman falters?
Who speaks for the canal when its patron falters?
Or for the reins, O ʿUqb son of ʿAmmār?
Who champion the helpless, O Ukbah ibn Ammar?
ياO عُقبَʿUqb لاno عُقبَʿUqb ليfor me فيon اليَومِthis day أُسمِعُهُI make him hear
يا عُقبَ لا عُقبَ لي في اليَومِ أُسمِعُهُ
إِلّاexcept ثَوِيَّةُa dweller رَمسٍa grave بَينَamong أَحجارِstones
إِلّا ثَوِيَّةُ رَمسٍ بَينَ أَحجارِ
O ʿUqb, today I have no ʿUqb to hear me,
O Ukbah, all day in my house there is none I hear
except a dweller in a grave among stones.
Save the echoes resounding among the stones.
كانَhe was الخَليلُthe close friend الَّذيwho تَبقىendures مَوَدَّتُهُhis affection
كانَ الخَليلُ الَّذي تَبقى مَوَدَّتُهُ
عِنديwith me وَمَوضِعَand the place حاجاتيmy needs وَأَسراريand my secrets
عِندي وَمَوضِعَ حاجاتي وَأَسراري
He was the close friend whose affection endures
Khalil it was whose friendship stayed with me,
with me, and the refuge for my needs and secrets.
Attending to my needs, my secrets, and my cares.
Sol 6.1