لَيْسَ الصَّدِيقُ الَّذِي تَعْلُو مَنَاسِبُهُ

بَلِ الصَّدِيقُ الَّذِي تَزْكُو شَمَائِلُهُ

A friend is not one whose association is high

But a friend is one whose character is pure

إِنْ رَابَكَ الدَّهْرُ لَمْ تَفْشَلْ عَزَائِمُهُ

أَوْ نَابَكَ الْهَمُّ لَمْ تَفْتُرْ وَسَائِلُهُ

If time has frustrated you, his determination does not fail

Or if anxiety has turned on you, his efforts do not cease

يَرْعَاكَ فِي حَالَتَيْ بُعْدٍ وَمَقْرَبَةٍ

وَلا تُغِبُّكَ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَوَاضِلُهُ

He shelters you in times of distance and closeness

And his overflowing goodness never misses you

لا كَالَّذِي يَدَّعِي وُدّاً وَبَاطِنُهُ

بِجَمْرِ أَحْقَادِهِ تَغْلِي مَرَاجِلُهُ

Not like one who claims affection yet inside

His burning grudges boil in his vessels

يَذُمُّ فِعْلَ أَخِيهِ مُظْهِراً أَسَفاً

لِيُوهِمَ النَّاسَ أَنَّ الْحُزْنَ شَامِلُهُ

He disparages his brother's deed feigning sorrow

To delude people that grief has overwhelmed him

وَذَاكَ مِنْهُ عِدَاءٌ فِي مُجَامَلَةٍ

فَاحْذَرْهُ وَاعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ خَاذِلُهُ

Yet in him is animosity in pretense of agreeableness

So beware of him for indeed Allah will forsake him