ماno لِغِياثٍfor Ghiyath مِنany (emphasizing negation) غِياثٍsuccor; help إِذاwhen
ما لِغِياثٍ مِن غِياثٍ إِذا
أَدَرتَهُyou turn him فيin لَولَبِspiral; screw الصَكِّstriking; blows
أَدَرتَهُ في لَولَبِ الصَكِّ
Ghiyath has no succor when
What good is salvation when it comes
you whirl him in the spiral of blows.
If you're caught in a web of lies?
شَيخٌan old man إِذاwhen اِستَدعَيتَyou call for أَلفاظَهُhis words
شَيخٌ إِذا اِستَدعَيتَ أَلفاظَهُ
جاءَتكَthey come to you بَينَbetween; amid الزورِfalsehood وَالإِفكشand lies (apparent typo)
جاءَتكَ بَينَ الزورِ وَالإِفكش
An old man—when you call for his words,
An old man whose words you summon
they come to you amid falsehood and lies.
Will regale you with deceit and disguise
مُستَطوِلِelongated الرَأسِthe head عَريضِbroad القَفاthe nape
مُستَطوِلِ الرَأسِ عَريضِ القَفا
مُضطَرِمِablaze الأَنيابِthe fangs وَالفَكِّand the jaw
مُضطَرِمِ الأَنيابِ وَالفَكِّ
Long of head, broad of nape,
With elongated head and protruding chin
with fangs and jaw aflame.
Baring fangs and grinning wide
لَوif ماتَdied ليof mine أَلفٌa thousand وَأَبصَرتُهُand I saw him
لَو ماتَ لي أَلفٌ وَأَبصَرتُهُ
لَبُلتُI would urinate فيin ثَوبيmy garment مِنَfrom الضَحِكِlaughter
لَبُلتُ في ثَوبي مِنَ الضَحِكِ
If a thousand of mine died and I saw him,
Had he died a thousand times before my eyes
I would piss in my clothes from laughter.
I would laugh till my robes were dyed