إِنّي إِذا ما الخَليلُ أَحدَثَ لي

إِنّي إِذا ما الخَليلُ أَحدَثَ لي

صرماً وَمَلَّ الصَّفاءَ أَو قَطَعا

صرماً وَمَلَّ الصَّفاءَ أَو قَطَعا

Indeed, whenever a close friend brings me

Whenever my friend turns away from me,

estrangement and tires of sincere affection, or severs our bond,

And clouds the clear sky, or breaks it off,

لا أَحتَسِي ماءَهُ عَلى رَنَقٍ

لا أَحتَسِي ماءَهُ عَلى رَنَقٍ

وَلا يَراني لِبَينِهِ جَزِعا

وَلا يَراني لِبَينِهِ جَزِعا

I do not sip his water when it is murky,

I do not beg for his water on bent knee,

nor does he see me distraught at his departure.

Nor does he see me in despair bereft.

أَهجُرُهُ ثُمَّ تَنقَضي غُبَّرُ ال

أَهجُرُهُ ثُمَّ تَنقَضي غُبَّرُ ال

هِجرانِ عَنّي وَلَم أَقُل قَذَعا

هِجرانِ عَنّي وَلَم أَقُل قَذَعا

I forsake him; then the lingering remnants of

I shun him, then the dust of parting clears

estrangement fade from me, and I have uttered no abuse.

Away from me, nor bitter words I kept.

إِحذَر وِصالَ اللئيم إِنَّ لَهُ

إِحذَر وِصالَ اللئيم إِنَّ لَهُ

عَضهاً إِذا حَبلُ وَصلِهِ اِنقَطَعا

عَضهاً إِذا حَبلُ وَصلِهِ اِنقَطَعا

Beware friendship with the base man, for he has

Beware uniting with the vile, for he

slander in store when the cord of his friendship snaps.

Has fangs, if his string of union snaps in two.