خليليmy two friends إنيindeed I واقفٌstanding فمسلمand offering greetings
خليلي إني واقفٌ فمسلم
علىto النيرal-Nir فارتاحاso rest, you two قليلاًa little فسلماthen greet, you two
على النير فارتاحا قليلاً فسلما
My two friends, I am stopping and offering greetings
My friend, I stand still, so stop
to al-Nir; rest a little, then offer your greetings.
By the river and rest a while, then bid farewell
فإنيfor indeed I أحبlove النيرal-Nir والبرقand the stony tracts التيwhich
فإني أحب النير والبرق التي
بهاin them النيرal-Nir حباwith a love خالدenduring اللحمthe flesh والدماand the blood
بها النير حبا خالد اللحم والدما
For I love al-Nir and the stony tracts
For I love the river and the lightning that
where al-Nir stands, with a love enduring in flesh and blood.
With it makes the river's flesh and blood eternal
فلوand if زالmoved away هضبcrags النيرal-Nir عنfrom سكناتهits resting places
فلو زال هضب النير عن سكناته
ليممتI would head toward منout of وجدٍyearning بهfor it حيثwherever يمماit headed
ليممت من وجدٍ به حيث يمما
And if al-Nir’s crags moved from their resting places,
If the river's ridge were to leave its dwellings
I would, out of yearning for it, head wherever it headed.
I would head wherever it leads, wherever it goes
ولوand if كلمتspoke to صمdeaf الجبالthe mountains بموطنٍin a homeland
ولو كلمت صم الجبال بموطنٍ
صديقاًa friend لحياناit would greet us إذاًthen وتكلماand speak
صديقاً لحيانا إذاً وتكلما
And if the deaf mountains in a homeland ever spoke
And if I were to speak to mountains deafened
to a friend, it would then greet us and speak.
By an abode, a friend to our lives, they would speak