أَبلِغtell أُبَيّاًUbayy عَلَىdespite نَأيِهِhis distance
أَبلِغ أُبَيّاً عَلَى نَأيِهِ
وهَلand does? يَنفَعُbenefit الَمرءَa person ماwhat قَدalready عَلِمhe has learned
وهَل يَنفَعُ الَمرءَ ما قَد عَلِم
Take word to Ubayy, though he is far away:
Tell Ubayy, far away though he is—
but can what a man knows avail him?
and does what a man already knows avail him?—
بأَنَّof the fact that أَخاكَyour brother شَقيقَthe twin of الفُؤاthe heart (continued)
بأَنَّ أَخاكَ شَقيقَ الفُؤا
دِcompletion of 'heart' كُنتَyou were بِهin him واثِقاًtrusting ماas long as سَلِمhe was safe
دِ كُنتَ بِه واثِقاً ما سَلِم
Your brother, the brother of your very heart,
that your brother, your heart’s own twin,
whom you trusted while he remained safe,
whom you trusted so long as he was safe,
لَدَىin the presence of مَلِكٍa king مُوثَقٍfettered فيin الَحديthe iron (continued)
لَدَى مَلِكٍ مُوثَقٍ في الَحدي
دِcompletion of 'iron' إمَّاeither بِحَقٍّjustly وإماَّor else ظُلِمhe was wronged
دِ إمَّا بِحَقٍّ وإماَّ ظُلِم
is held by a king, bound fast
is in a king’s custody, bound in iron,
in irons—whether justly or wrongfully.
whether justly or unjustly.
فلاso do not أَعِرفَنكَlet me find you كَدَأبِlike the ways of الغُلاthe boy (continued)
فلا أَعِرفَنكَ كَدَأبِ الغُلا
مِcompletion of 'boy' ماas long as لَمnot يَجِدhe finds عارِماًa fierce man يَعتَرمِhe runs wild
مِ ما لَم يَجِد عارِماً يَعتَرمِ
Do not let me find you acting like a boy
So let me not find you behaving like a boy
who, meeting no fierce opponent, runs wild.
who runs wild until he meets a fierce man.
فأَرضَكَso keep to your land أَرضَكَyour land إنif تَأتِناyou come to us
فأَرضَكَ أَرضَكَ إن تَأتِنا
نَنَمwe shall sleep لَيلَةًa night لَيسَthere is not فيهاin it حُلُمa dream
نَنَم لَيلَةً لَيسَ فيها حُلُم
Stay in your land, stay in your land! If you come to us,
So keep to your land, your land! If you come to us,
we shall sleep a night in which there are no dreams.
we shall sleep a night with no dream in it.
