تَرَوَّحتَ مِن رُزداقَ جيٍّ عَشيَّةً

تَرَوَّحتَ مِن رُزداقَ جيٍّ عَشيَّةً

وَغادَرتَ في رُزداقِ جيٍّ أَخاً لَكا

وَغادَرتَ في رُزداقِ جيٍّ أَخاً لَكا

You departed from the district of Jayy one evening,

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

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 whom, if separation lasts long, you find

forgetful; and if companionship lasts long, he tires of 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 people admire,

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

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, then kept his company,

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

إِذا جِئتَهُ تَبغي الهُدى خالَفَ الهُدى

إِذا جِئتَهُ تَبغي الهُدى خالَفَ الهُدى

وَإِن جُرتَ عَن بابِ الغِوايةِ دَلَّكا

وَإِن جُرتَ عَن بابِ الغِوايةِ دَلَّكا

If you come to him seeking guidance, he goes against guidance,

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