خَليلَيَّ اِربَعا وَسَلا

بِمَغنى الحَيِّ قَد مَثَلا

My two friends set out at dawn

Heading for the valley of life so fine

بِأَعلى الوادِ عِندَ البِئ

رِ هَيَّجَ عَبرَةً سَبَلا

At the top of the valley by the old well

They stirred up tears that flowed

وَقَد تَغنى بِهِ نُعمٌ

وَكُنتُ بِوَصلِها جَذِلا

And joyously they sang of blessings

While I was too shy for their company

لَيالِيَ لا نُحِبُّ لَنا

بِعَيشٍ قَد مَضى بَدَلا

Nights we don’t like to recall

When life went by and left us nothing

وَتَهوانا وَنَهواها

وَنَعصي قَولَ مَن عَذَلا

They blamed us and we blamed them

Disobeying the words of those who blame

وَتُرسِلُ في مُلاطَفَةٍ

وَنُعمِلُ نَحوَها الرُسُلا

You send messages of affection

While we send only excuses