لَعَمري لَئِن كانَ اِبنُ أُمّي دَعَت بِهِ

لَعَمري لَئِن كانَ اِبنُ أُمّي دَعَت بِهِ

شَعوبٌ مِنَ الأَحداثِ ذاتُ ضَريرِ

شَعوبٌ مِنَ الأَحداثِ ذاتُ ضَريرِ

By my life, if my mother's son was summoned

By my life, if my mother's son answered when called

By Shaʿūb—Death, a calamity of fierce power—

By the young folk of the tribes with cries of misfortune,

لَقَد كانَ مِعجالاً قِراهُ وَجارُهُ

لَقَد كانَ مِعجالاً قِراهُ وَجارُهُ

أَعَزُّ مِنَ العَصماءِ فَوقَ ثَبيرِ

أَعَزُّ مِنَ العَصماءِ فَوقَ ثَبيرِ

His guest-fare was indeed promptly served, and his neighbor

To his neighbors he'd be a refuge; past compare

Was more secure than the white-footed she-ibex atop Thabīr.

More precious than virginity over a grave.

أَخي ما أَخي ما مِن أَخٍ كانَ مِثلَهُ

أَخي ما أَخي ما مِن أَخٍ كانَ مِثلَهُ

لِلَيلَةِ ريحٍ لِلقِرى وَنَصيرِ

لِلَيلَةِ ريحٍ لِلقِرى وَنَصيرِ

My brother—what a brother! No brother was his equal

O brother mine, no brother was ever such as thou:

On a windy night, in hospitality and as a helper.

A night wind for the villages, ready with help.