وكنتُ إذا ما رأيت الصديق

وكنتُ إذا ما رأيت الصديق

يأبى عن الوصلِ إلا انفتالا

يأبى عن الوصلِ إلا انفتالا

And whenever I saw that a friend

And whenever I saw a friend

Whenever I saw a friend

shunned companionship and did nothing but turn away,

insisting on nothing but turning away from fellowship,

Refusing association but separation

وشابَ الإخاءَ بشوب البلاء

وشابَ الإخاءَ بشوب البلاء

كشَوبك بالمِلح عذباً زُلالا

كشَوبك بالمِلح عذباً زُلالا

and tainted brotherhood with an admixture of hardship,

and tainting brotherhood with an admixture of affliction,

And youthful brotherhood was disturbed by affliction

as when you mix salt into sweet, pure water,

as you mix salt into sweet, clear water,

As your disturbance with salt of sweet limpid water

وأيقنتُ ألا ندىً عنده

وأيقنتُ ألا ندىً عنده

ولا وصلَ حين أُريد الوصالا

ولا وصلَ حين أُريد الوصالا

and I became certain there was no generosity in him,

and knew for certain he had no generosity

And I believed he had no affection

nor fellowship whenever I sought fellowship,

nor fellowship when I sought fellowship,

Nor association when I desired the association

تنكّبتُ عنه وألفيتُ لي

تنكّبتُ عنه وألفيتُ لي

منادِحَ أعملُ فيها الجِمالا

منادِحَ أعملُ فيها الجِمالا

I turned aside from him and found for myself

I would turn away from him and find for myself

I turned away from him and found for myself

wide-open paths through which to drive my camels.

wide spaces in which to drive the camels.

Comrades in whom I make beautiful deeds