إِذا كُنتَ في سَعدٍ وَأُمُّكَ مِنهُمُ

إِذا كُنتَ في سَعدٍ وَأُمُّكَ مِنهُمُ

غَريباً فَلا يَغرُركَ خالَكَ مِن سَعدِ

غَريباً فَلا يَغرُركَ خالَكَ مِن سَعدِ

If you are among Saʿd, your mother one of them—

If you are among Saʿd, and your mother is one of them,

a stranger—do not be deluded by your maternal uncle of Saʿd.

a stranger, do not let your maternal uncle from Saʿd deceive you.

فَإِنَّ اِبنَ أُختِ القَومِ مُصغىً إِناؤُهُ

فَإِنَّ اِبنَ أُختِ القَومِ مُصغىً إِناؤُهُ

إِذا لَم يُزاحِم خالَهُ بِأَبٍ جَلدِ

إِذا لَم يُزاحِم خالَهُ بِأَبٍ جَلدِ

For a people’s sister’s son has his bowl tipped aside,

For the son of the tribe’s sister has his bowl tilted,

unless he can vie with his maternal uncle, backed by a stalwart father.

if he does not rival his maternal uncle with the support of a stalwart father.