أَظَلُّ كَئيباً لَو تَشوكُكَ شَوكَةٌ

أَظَلُّ كَئيباً لَو تَشوكُكَ شَوكَةٌ

وَتَفرَحُ لَو دُهدِهتُ مِن رأسِ حالِقِ

وَتَفرَحُ لَو دُهدِهتُ مِن رأسِ حالِقِ

I would remain sorrowful if a thorn should prick you,

I remain morose though a thorn pricks your foot

And you would rejoice if I were sent tumbling from a towering mountain’s summit.

And I rejoice if the hairdresser shaves your head

لَشتّانَ ما بَيني وَبَينِكَ في الإِخا

لَشتّانَ ما بَيني وَبَينِكَ في الإِخا

صَدَقتُكَ في نَفسي وَلَستَ بِصادِقِ

صَدَقتُكَ في نَفسي وَلَستَ بِصادِقِ

How far apart you and I are in brotherhood!

How different I am from you in camaraderie

I have been sincere with you in my heart, but you are not sincere.

I deemed you true in myself though you were not truthful

أَفِق عَنكَ لا يَذهَب بِكَ التّيهُ سالِماً

أَفِق عَنكَ لا يَذهَب بِكَ التّيهُ سالِماً

فَإِنَّكَ مَخلوقٌ وَلَستَ بِخالِقِ

فَإِنَّكَ مَخلوقٌ وَلَستَ بِخالِقِ

Come to your senses; pride will not carry you off unharmed.

Awake from your slumber, confusion will not let you go unharmed

For you are a creature, not a creator.

For you are a creation, not the Creator

وَكُلُّ أَخٍ عِندَ الهوَينا مُلاطِفٌ

وَكُلُّ أَخٍ عِندَ الهوَينا مُلاطِفٌ

وَلَكِنَّما الاخوان عِندَ الحَقائِقِ

وَلَكِنَّما الاخوان عِندَ الحَقائِقِ

And every brother is affectionate in times of ease,

And every brother is amiable to us when infatuated

But true brothers are known in times of trial.

But brothers are known in truth and verity