خَيرُthe best of إِخوانِكَyour brothers المُشارِكُthe one who shares فيin الأَمthe affair (first part)
خَيرُ إِخوانِكَ المُشارِكُ في الأَم
رِcompletion of 'the affair' وَأَينَand where الشَريكُthe partner فيin الأَمرِthe affair أَيناwhere
رِ وَأَينَ الشَريكُ في الأَمرِ أَينا
The best of your friends is the one who shares with you in every
The best of your brothers is the one who shares in your affairs;
matter—but where, oh where, is such a partner to be found?
and where is a partner in your affairs—where?
الَّذيwho إِنif حَضَرتَyou are present سَرَّكَhe gladdens you فيamong الحَيْthe tribe (first part)
الَّذي إِن حَضَرتَ سَرَّكَ في الحَيْ
يِcompletion of 'the tribe' وَإِنand if غِبتَyou are absent كانَhe is أُذناًan ear وَعَيناand an eye
يِ وَإِن غِبتَ كانَ أُذناً وَعَينا
The one who, when you are present, brings you joy among your
One who, when you are present, gladdens you among the tribe,
people, and when you are absent, becomes your ears and eyes;
and when you are absent, is an ear and an eye.
ذاكَthat one مِثلُlike الحُسامِthe keen sword أَخلَصَهُhe refined it القَيthe smith (first part)
ذاكَ مِثلُ الحُسامِ أَخلَصَهُ القَي
نُcompletion of 'the smith' جَلاهhe polished it الجلاٍَّءُthe polisher فازدادَso it increased زَيناin beauty
نُ جَلاه الجلاٍَّءُ فازدادَ زَينا
such a one is like a keen sword, refined by the
Such a man is like a keen sword, refined by the smith;
smith, who burnished it to brilliance, so it grew lovelier still.
the polisher burnished it, and it grew more beautiful.
أَنتَyou فيamong مَعشَرٍa group of people إِذاwhen غِبتَyou are absent عَنهُمfrom them
أَنتَ في مَعشَرٍ إِذا غِبتَ عَنهُم
بِدَّلواthey turned كُلَّall ماthat which يَزينُكَadorns you شَيناinto a blemish
بِدَّلوا كُلَّ ما يَزينُكَ شَينا
You are among a company who, when you are away from them,
You are among people who, when you are absent from them,
turn every grace of yours into a blemish.
turn everything that adorns you into a blemish.
وَإِذاand when ماemphatic particle رَأَوكَthey see you قالواthey say جَميعاًall together
وَإِذا ما رَأَوكَ قالوا جَميعاً
أَنتَyou مِنamong أَكرَمِthe most esteemed الرِجالِthe men عَلَيناin our eyes
أَنتَ مِن أَكرَمِ الرِجالِ عَلَينا
Yet when they see you, they all say together,
And whenever they see you, they all say:
“You are among the noblest of men in our eyes.”
"You are among the men we esteem most."
Sol 6.1