ما عَلى ذا كُنّا اِفتَرَقنا بِسَندا

ما عَلى ذا كُنّا اِفتَرَقنا بِسَندا

نَ وَما هَكَذا عَهِدنا الإِخاءَ

نَ وَما هَكَذا عَهِدنا الإِخاءَ

It was not on these terms that we parted at Sandān;

No blame upon us though we parted ways

nor was this the brotherhood we knew.

That is not how we envisioned our brotherhood

لَم أَكُن أَحسِبُ الخِلافَةَ يَزدا

لَم أَكُن أَحسِبُ الخِلافَةَ يَزدا

دُ بِها ذو الصَفاءِ إِلّا صَفاءَ

دُ بِها ذو الصَفاءِ إِلّا صَفاءَ

I never thought the caliphate would bring

I did not expect disagreements to increase

a sincere man anything but greater sincerity.

With the virtuous, except more virtue

تَضرِبُ الناسَ بِالمُهَنَّدَةِ البي

تَضرِبُ الناسَ بِالمُهَنَّدَةِ البي

ضِ عَلى غَدرِهِم وَتَنسى الوَفاءَ

ضِ عَلى غَدرِهِم وَتَنسى الوَفاءَ

You strike people with white Indian-forged swords

You strike people with the white sword

for their treachery, and you forget loyalty.

For their betrayal, and forget loyalty