أَلا قُل لِعَمرٍ كَيفَ أَنِّيَ واحِدٌ

أَلا قُل لِعَمرٍ كَيفَ أَنِّيَ واحِدٌ

وَمِثلُكَ يا ذا في الأَنامِ كَثيرُ

وَمِثلُكَ يا ذا في الأَنامِ كَثيرُ

Listen, tell Amr how I am one of a kind,

Oh, say to 'Amr: observe how I stand unique,

while the likes of you, fellow, are many among humankind.

While the likes of you, alas, abound among mankind.

قَطَعتَ إِخائي بادِئً وَجَفَوتَني

قَطَعتَ إِخائي بادِئً وَجَفَوتَني

وَلَيسَ أَخي مَن في الوِدادِ يَجورُ

وَلَيسَ أَخي مَن في الوِدادِ يَجورُ

You first severed our bond of brotherhood and shunned me;

You were the first to sever our brotherhood and shun me,

and he who is unjust in friendship is no brother of mine.

And he is no brother of mine who commits injustice in friendship.

وَلَو أَنَّ بَعضي رابَني لَقَطَعتُهُ

وَلَو أَنَّ بَعضي رابَني لَقَطَعتُهُ

فَكَيفَ تَراني لِلعَدُوِّ أَصيرُ

فَكَيفَ تَراني لِلعَدُوِّ أَصيرُ

Even if a part of me gave me cause for doubt, I would cut it off;

If a part of my own self gave me cause for doubt, I would cut it off;

so how could you think I would turn to an enemy?

So how do you imagine I shall become towards a foe?

عَلَيكَ سَلامٌ سَوفَ دونَ لِقائِكُم

عَلَيكَ سَلامٌ سَوفَ دونَ لِقائِكُم

تَمُرُّ شُهورٌ بَعدَهُنَّ شُهورُ

تَمُرُّ شُهورٌ بَعدَهُنَّ شُهورُ

Peace be upon you; before I meet you,

Peace be upon you; henceforth, with no meeting between us,

months will pass, and after them, more months.

Months shall pass, followed by yet more months.