تَرَوَّحتَ مِن رُزداقَ جيٍّ عَشيَّةً

تَرَوَّحتَ مِن رُزداقَ جيٍّ عَشيَّةً

وَغادَرتَ في رُزداقِ جيٍّ أَخاً لَكا

وَغادَرتَ في رُزداقِ جيٍّ أَخاً لَكا

You set out from the district of Jayy one evening,

You left in the evening from a valley of roses

and left behind in the district of Jayy a brother of yours—

And abandoned a brother in the valley of roses

أَخاً لَكَ إِن طالَ التَنائي وَجَدتَهُ

أَخاً لَكَ إِن طالَ التَنائي وَجَدتَهُ

نَسيّاً وَإِن طالَ التَعاشُرُ مَلَّكا

نَسيّاً وَإِن طالَ التَعاشُرُ مَلَّكا

a brother of yours: if separation grows long, you find him

A brother to you - if estrangement is prolonged, you will find him

forgetful; and if companionship grows long, he tires of you.

Forgetful, and if intimacy endures, owning you

وَلَو كُنتَ سَيفاً يَعجِبُ الناسَ حدُّهُ

وَلَو كُنتَ سَيفاً يَعجِبُ الناسَ حدُّهُ

وَكُنتَ لَهُ يَوماً مِنَ الدَهرِ فَلَّكا

وَكُنتَ لَهُ يَوماً مِنَ الدَهرِ فَلَّكا

And even if you were a sword whose edge delights people,

And if you were a sword that amazes people with its sharpness

and were his for a single day, he would blunt you.

And were for him one day among the days of time, unsheathed

وَلَو كُنتَ أَهدى الناسِ ثُمَّ صَحِبتَهُ

وَلَو كُنتَ أَهدى الناسِ ثُمَّ صَحِبتَهُ

فَطاوعتَهُ ضَلَّ الهُدى وَأَضلَّكا

فَطاوعتَهُ ضَلَّ الهُدى وَأَضلَّكا

And even if you were the best-guided of people and then kept his company,

And if you were the most guided of people, then accompanied him

and obeyed him, he would stray from guidance and lead you astray.

And obeyed him, guidance would go astray and misguide you

إِذا جِئتَهُ تَبغي الهُدى خالَفَ الهُدى

إِذا جِئتَهُ تَبغي الهُدى خالَفَ الهُدى

وَإِن جُرتَ عَن بابِ الغِوايةِ دَلَّكا

وَإِن جُرتَ عَن بابِ الغِوايةِ دَلَّكا

When you come to him seeking guidance, he goes against guidance;

When you come to him seeking guidance, he opposes guidance

and if you turn away from error’s gate, he shows you the way to it.

And if you turn away from the gate of misguidance, he leads you