وَصاحِبٍ أَخلَفَ ظَنّي بِهِ

وَصاحِبٍ أَخلَفَ ظَنّي بِهِ

وَالخَيرُ بِالصاحِبِ مَظنونُ

وَالخَيرُ بِالصاحِبِ مَظنونُ

And a friend disappointed my hopes of him,

A friend who betrayed my trust in him

Many a companion has disappointed my expectations,

though goodness is expected of a friend.

While goodness is expected of a friend

Though goodness is always presumed in a friend.

جامَلَني بِالقَولِ حَتّى إِذا

جامَلَني بِالقَولِ حَتّى إِذا

صارَ لَهُ مالٌ وَتَمكينُ

صارَ لَهُ مالٌ وَتَمكينُ

He was courteous to me in words until, when

He flattered me with words until

He flattered me with fair words right until

he came to possess wealth and power,

He became wealthy and powerful

He acquired wealth and positions of power.

أَعرَضَ عَنّي لاوِياً شِدقَهُ

أَعرَضَ عَنّي لاوِياً شِدقَهُ

كَأَنَّهُ في الوَفرِ قارونُ

كَأَنَّهُ في الوَفرِ قارونُ

he turned away from me, twisting the corner of his mouth,

Then he turned away from me, aloof

Then he shunned me, twisting his cheek in disdain,

as though he were Qarun in his wealth.

As if in his riches he was Qarun

As if, in his abundance, he were Qarun himself.

أَنكَرتُها مِنهُ فَعاتَبتُهُ

أَنكَرتُها مِنهُ فَعاتَبتُهُ

وَالنُصحُ في الإِخوانِ مَضمونُ

وَالنُصحُ في الإِخوانِ مَضمونُ

I disapproved of this in him and reproached him,

I was shocked by this from him so I reproached him

I deplored this in him, so I offered him reproach,

and sincere counsel among friends is assured.

For advice amongst brothers is a duty

For sincere counsel is a duty assured among brothers.

فَتاهَ إِذ عاتَبتُهُ شامِخاً

فَتاهَ إِذ عاتَبتُهُ شامِخاً

وَأَصلُهُ في أَهلِهِ دونُ

وَأَصلُهُ في أَهلِهِ دونُ

So he grew haughty when I reproached him, his head held high,

But he scorned me when I reproached him

But he grew haughty when I admonished him, acting supreme,

though his lineage among his people was lowly.

Though his origin is lowly amongst his people

Though his origin among his own people is base.