أَصُدُّ صُدودَ اِمرِئٍ مُجمِلٍ

أَصُدُّ صُدودَ اِمرِئٍ مُجمِلٍ

إِذا حالَ ذو الوُدِّ عَن حالِهِ

إِذا حالَ ذو الوُدِّ عَن حالِهِ

I turn away as a courteous man would,

I block the way of the one who turns from me,

when a loving friend changes his ways.

When my close friend changes his attitude.

وَلَستُ بِمُستَعتِبٍ صاحِباً

وَلَستُ بِمُستَعتِبٍ صاحِباً

إِذا جَعَلَ الهَجرَ مِن بالِهِ

إِذا جَعَلَ الهَجرَ مِن بالِهِ

And I do not seek reconciliation with a companion

And I do not reproach a companion,

when he sets his mind on estrangement.

When he makes estrangement his mindset.

وَلَكِنَّني صارِمٌ حَبلَهُ

وَلَكِنَّني صارِمٌ حَبلَهُ

وَذَلِكَ فِعلي بِأَمثالِهِ

وَذَلِكَ فِعلي بِأَمثالِهِ

But I sever his cord,

But I do sever ties with him,

and that is how I deal with his kind.

That is my way with the likes of him.

وَمَهما أَدَلَّ بِحَقٍّ لَهُ

وَمَهما أَدَلَّ بِحَقٍّ لَهُ

عَرَفتُ لَهُ حَقَّ إِدلالِهِ

عَرَفتُ لَهُ حَقَّ إِدلالِهِ

And whenever he confidently asserts a right of his,

And however much he argues his right,

I acknowledge his right to assert it.

I recognize for him the right to argue.

وَإِنّي عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ لَهُ

وَإِنّي عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ لَهُ

مِنِ اِدبارِ وُدٍّ وَإِقبالِهِ

مِنِ اِدبارِ وُدٍّ وَإِقبالِهِ

And I, whatever his state may be—

Yet in any case for him,

whether affection turns away or draws near—

Whether affection cools or is rekindled,

لَراعٍ لِأَحسَنِ ما بَينَنا

لَراعٍ لِأَحسَنِ ما بَينَنا

بِحِفظِ الإِخاءِ وَإِجلالِهِ

بِحِفظِ الإِخاءِ وَإِجلالِهِ

surely safeguard the best of what lies between us,

I am careful for the best between us,

by preserving brotherhood and honoring it.

By preserving brotherhood and its dignity.