يا أيها الناس خذوا حذركم

من صحبة الفاسق والكاذب

O people, be on your guard

against the company of the sinner and the liar.

والتزموا صحبة أهل التقى

جماعة السنة والواجب

And keep company with the people of piety,

the community of the Prophetic tradition and religious duty.

فصاحب مع صاحب دائما

كقلم بين يدي كاتب

For one companion with another is always

like a pen in a writer’s hands.

يكتب ماقد شاء فيه به

بحكم عقد الصحبة اللازب

He writes with it whatever he has willed within it,

by virtue of the binding bond of companionship.

روى ابن مسعود عن المصطفى

قال رسول الخالق الواهب

Ibn Mas‘ud related from the Chosen One:

The Messenger of the Creator, the Bestower, said:

اعتبروا الأرض بأسمائها

واعتبروا الصاحب بالصاحب

“Judge the land by its names,

and judge a companion by his companion.”