لا صاحِبٌ إِلّا الَّذي أَعضاؤُهُ

لا صاحِبٌ إِلّا الَّذي أَعضاؤُهُ

تَحلو لِصاحِبِهِ جَناهُ إِذا جَنى

تَحلو لِصاحِبِهِ جَناهُ إِذا جَنى

There is no true friend but one whose every faculty

There is no companion except one whose limbs

bears a harvest sweet to his companion whenever it ripens.

are sweet to his companion—his fruit, when he gathers it.

لا مَن يُكَدِّرُ بِالقَطيعَةِ ما صَفا

لا مَن يُكَدِّرُ بِالقَطيعَةِ ما صَفا

مِنهُ وَيَهدِمُ بِالخِيانَةِ ما بَنى

مِنهُ وَيَهدِمُ بِالخِيانَةِ ما بَنى

Not one who, through estrangement, sullies what was pure

Not one who, by severing ties, clouds what was pure

in him, and through betrayal destroys what he built.

in him, and through betrayal tears down what he built.

فَتَصَفَّحِ الإِخوانَ وَاِختَر مِنهُمُ

فَتَصَفَّحِ الإِخوانَ وَاِختَر مِنهُمُ

مَن إِن أَسَأتَ إِلَيهِ يَوماً أَحسَنا

مَن إِن أَسَأتَ إِلَيهِ يَوماً أَحسَنا

So examine your brethren and choose from among them

So examine your friends and choose from among them

one who, if you wrong him one day, responds with kindness.

one who, if you wrong him one day, shows kindness.