خذوا خطّي وميثاقي وعهدي

خذوا خطّي وميثاقي وعهدي

وحلفي بالنبيّ وبالمسيح

وحلفي بالنبيّ وبالمسيح

Take my written word, my covenant, and my pledge,

Take my word and covenant and oath,

and my oath by the Prophet and by the Messiah,

And my oath by the Prophet and by Christ,

وموسى والذبيح ومن تلاه

وموسى والذبيح ومن تلاه

من الأحبار من بعد الذبيح

من الأحبار من بعد الذبيح

and by Moses and the one offered for sacrifice, and those who followed him

And Moses and the sacrifice and who followed after,

among the rabbis after the one offered for sacrifice,

Of the rabbis after the sacrifice,

وبالنقباء من أولاد يحيى

وبالنقباء من أولاد يحيى

وبالرهبان أصحاب المسوح

وبالرهبان أصحاب المسوح

and by the leaders among Yahya's descendants,

And by the monks, children of John,

and by the monks who wear sackcloth,

And by the monks, companions of the messiahs,

بأني ما وجدت أخا وفيّا

بأني ما وجدت أخا وفيّا

يصاحبني على ود صحيح

يصاحبني على ود صحيح

that I have found no faithful brother

That I did not find a brother, faithful,

who keeps me company with genuine affection.

Who accompanies me with true affection.

إذا أفلست أعرض أو تجنّى

إذا أفلست أعرض أو تجنّى

وإن أيسرت قال أخي وروحي

وإن أيسرت قال أخي وروحي

If I become penniless, he turns away or falsely accuses me;

When I was penniless, he shunned me,

and if I prosper, he says, 'My brother, my soul!'

And when I prospered, he said "my brother" and "my soul".

يودّك في زمانك ذا صديق

يودّك في زمانك ذا صديق

يريدك للغبوق وللصبوح

يريدك للغبوق وللصبوح

In this age of yours, a friend loves you:

A friend loves you in your time of this and that,

he wants you for the evening and morning draughts.

He wants you for trysts and dawn gatherings,

وأوقات الشدائد أنت منه

وأوقات الشدائد أنت منه

مكان الطفل من ظهر الجموح

مكان الطفل من ظهر الجموح

And in times of hardship, you are to him

But in times of hardship, you are to him

as a child on the back of an unruly horse.

Like a child on the back of a skittish camel.