ورُبَّ امرئٍ تعتدُّه لك ناصحاً

ورُبَّ امرئٍ تعتدُّه لك ناصحاً

يولِّيك عَمداً سهمَه حين يفوق

يولِّيك عَمداً سهمَه حين يفوق

And many a man you count as your sincere well-wisher

Many a man you deem your counselor

Deliberately aims his arrow at you as he nocks it.

Willfully aims his arrows when out of sight

ومطَّرح لا تأملُ الدهرَ نفعَه

ومطَّرح لا تأملُ الدهرَ نفعَه

وتصادفُ منه مَصدَقاً حين تُزهق

وتصادفُ منه مَصدَقاً حين تُزهق

And one cast aside, whose help you never hope for—

Abandoned, expect not gain from fickle fate

You find true support in him when your life is being taken.

Though truth from him you meet when hopes take flight

وقد تأمن الشر الذي هو حاضر

وقد تأمن الشر الذي هو حاضر

ويهدى لك الشر البعيد فيطرق

ويهدى لك الشر البعيد فيطرق

And you may be safe from the evil close at hand,

You may feel safe from present evil near

And distant evil is sent to you, then comes upon you by night.

Yet distant harm may come knocking at your door