كائِن كَمِلحانَ فينا مِن أَخي ثِقَةٍ

كائِن كَمِلحانَ فينا مِن أَخي ثِقَةٍ

أَو كَاِبنِ عَلقَمَةَ المُستَشهِدِ الشاري

أَو كَاِبنِ عَلقَمَةَ المُستَشهِدِ الشاري

How many among us are like Milḥān—a brother worthy of trust—

How many a trustworthy brother like Milhan is among us,

or like Ibn ʿAlqama, the martyred one who sold himself to God?

Or like Ibn Alqama, who sought martyrdom and sold his life,

مِن صادِقٍ كُنتُ أُصفيهِ مُخالَصَتي

مِن صادِقٍ كُنتُ أُصفيهِ مُخالَصَتي

فَباعَ داراً بِأَغلى صَفقَةِ الدارِ

فَباعَ داراً بِأَغلى صَفقَةِ الدارِ

Of true friends, there was one I favored with my undivided devotion;

A faithful man to whom I gave my wholehearted friendship,

he sold one abode, in the dearest of bargains, for the Abode.

So he sold an abode for the highest price an abode could fetch.

إِخوانَ صِدقٍ أرَجّيهِم وَأَخذُلُهُم

إِخوانَ صِدقٍ أرَجّيهِم وَأَخذُلُهُم

أَشكو إِلى اللَهِ خُذلاني لِأَنصاري

أَشكو إِلى اللَهِ خُذلاني لِأَنصاري

True-hearted brothers—I raise their hopes, then let them down;

True brothers—I give them hope, yet fail them.

I complain to God of my failing those who stand by me.

I complain to God of my abandonment of my supporters.

فَصِرتُ صاحِبَ دُنيا لَستُ أَملِكُها

فَصِرتُ صاحِبَ دُنيا لَستُ أَملِكُها

وَصارَ صاحِبَ جَنّاتٍ وَأَنهارِ

وَصارَ صاحِبَ جَنّاتٍ وَأَنهارِ

Thus I became master of a world I do not own,

So I became the possessor of a world I do not own,

while he became master of gardens and rivers.

And he became the possessor of gardens and rivers.