أُصَافِي خَلِيلِي مَا صَفَا لِي فَإِنْ جَفَا

أُصَافِي خَلِيلِي مَا صَفَا لِي فَإِنْ جَفَا

عَتَبْتُ عَلَيْهِ غَيْرَ جَافٍ وَلا وَعْرِ

عَتَبْتُ عَلَيْهِ غَيْرَ جَافٍ وَلا وَعْرِ

I am true to my close friend as long as he is true to me; but if he grows distant,

My intimate friend did not treat me with kindness, so if he was cold

I reproach him, without being harsh or rough.

I reproached him, neither harsh nor rude.

فَإِنْ عَادَ لِي بالْوُدِّ عُدْتُ وَإِنْ أَبَى

فَإِنْ عَادَ لِي بالْوُدِّ عُدْتُ وَإِنْ أَبَى

صَبَرْتُ لأَرْعَى ذِمَّةَ الْوُدِّ بِالصَّبْرِ

صَبَرْتُ لأَرْعَى ذِمَّةَ الْوُدِّ بِالصَّبْرِ

If he returns to me with affection, I return; and if he refuses,

If he returns to me with affection, I too shall return. If he refuses,

I endure patiently, to uphold affection’s covenant through patience.

I shall be patient, to preserve the bond of love with patience.

فَإِنْ زَادَنِي هَجْرَاً ضَرَبْتُ عَنِ اسْمِهِ

فَإِنْ زَادَنِي هَجْرَاً ضَرَبْتُ عَنِ اسْمِهِ

وَأَمْسَكْتُ عَنْ سُخْطِي عَلَيْهِ وَعَنْ شُكْرِي

وَأَمْسَكْتُ عَنْ سُخْطِي عَلَيْهِ وَعَنْ شُكْرِي

If he shuns me still more, I cease to mention his name,

If he increases his estrangement, I shall disregard his name

And withhold both my resentment toward him and my thanks.

And restrain my anger at him and my gratitude to him.

وَمَا تِلْكَ مِنِّي نَبْوَةٌ غَيْرَ أَنَّنِي

وَمَا تِلْكَ مِنِّي نَبْوَةٌ غَيْرَ أَنَّنِي

أُنَزِّهُ نَفْسِي عَنْ مُلابَسَةِ الغَدْرِ

أُنَزِّهُ نَفْسِي عَنْ مُلابَسَةِ الغَدْرِ

And that is no unkindness on my part; it is only that I

This is no prophecy in me, only that

Keep myself above involvement in treachery.

I protect myself from involving with betrayal.