لي صاحِبٌ غِبتُ عَنهُ

لي صاحِبٌ غِبتُ عَنهُ

وَلَستُ أَذكُرُ مَن هو

وَلَستُ أَذكُرُ مَن هو

I have a friend I have been away from,

I have a friend whom I miss

And I do not mention who he is.

Though I can't recall who he is

سَمِعتُ عَنهُ حَديثاً

سَمِعتُ عَنهُ حَديثاً

أَعاذَنا اللَهُ مِنهُ

أَعاذَنا اللَهُ مِنهُ

I heard a report about him—

I've heard talk of him

May God protect us from it.

May God protect us from him

فَكَم أُكابِرُ عَنهُ

فَكَم أُكابِرُ عَنهُ

وَالقَولُ يَكثُرُ عَنهُ

وَالقَولُ يَكثُرُ عَنهُ

So often I argue in his defense,

How many nobles spurn him

And talk about him keeps growing.

While gossip surrounds him

هَذا لِيَعلَمَ أَنّي

هَذا لِيَعلَمَ أَنّي

في غَيبِهِ لَم أَخُنهُ

في غَيبِهِ لَم أَخُنهُ

This is so he may know that I,

So he may know that I

In his absence, have not betrayed him.

Did not betray him in his absence