كمhow many منof قريبٍa kinsman كِيلاَwas meted out لِيto me شَرُّهُhis evil
كم من قريبٍ كِيلاَ لِي شَرُّهُ
وخيرُهand his goodness إنif جاءcomes أحْبابgrains فخّa trap
وخيرُه إن جاء أحْباب فخّ
How many a kinsman metes his malice out to me,
How many a kinsman's evil has been meted out to me,
and even his good, should it come, dear friends, is a trap.
And his goodness, if it comes, is grains of bait in a trap.
وكمand how many أخٍa brother يملأُfills ليfor me صَدْرَهhis breast
وكم أخٍ يملأُ لي صَدْرَه
نَفثْةَa puff of spittle مَصْدُورٍone with a chest ailment إذاwhen قلتُI say أَخْbrother! (akh)
نَفثْةَ مَصْدُورٍ إذا قلتُ أَخْ
And how many a brother fills his breast against me
And how many a brother fills his breast for me
with a chest-sick man’s puff whenever I groan, “Akh!”
With a chest-sufferer's spittle when I say, 'Brother!'
Sol 6.1