لَمّا رَأَيتُ بَني الزَمانِ وَما بِهِم

لَمّا رَأَيتُ بَني الزَمانِ وَما بِهِم

خِلٌّ وَفِيٌّ لِلشَدائِدِ أَصطَفي

خِلٌّ وَفِيٌّ لِلشَدائِدِ أَصطَفي

When I saw the sons of the age, and among them found no

When I saw the children of the times and what was in them

faithful friend to choose for times of hardship,

Of weakness and feebleness in facing hardships I chose

أَيقَنتُ أَنَّ المُستَحيلَ ثَلاثَةٌ

أَيقَنتُ أَنَّ المُستَحيلَ ثَلاثَةٌ

الغولُ وَالعَنقاءُ وَالخِلُّ الوَفي

الغولُ وَالعَنقاءُ وَالخِلُّ الوَفي

I became certain that impossible things are three:

I knew for certain that the impossible is three things:

the ghoul, the phoenix, and the faithful friend.

The ghoul, the phoenix, and a loyal friend