وَمِنَ الناسِ مَن يَحِبُّكَ حُبّاً

وَمِنَ الناسِ مَن يَحِبُّكَ حُبّاً

ظاهِرَ الوُدِّ لَيسَ بِالتَقصيرِ

ظاهِرَ الوُدِّ لَيسَ بِالتَقصيرِ

And among people is one who loves you with a love

Some people love you with apparent affection,

Manifest in affection, with no neglect.

Not lacking in their expressions of devotion.

وَإِذا ما خَبَرتَهُ شَهِدَ الطَر

وَإِذا ما خَبَرتَهُ شَهِدَ الطَر

فُ عَلى حُبِّهِ بِما في الضَميرِ

فُ عَلى حُبِّهِ بِما في الضَميرِ

And when you test him, his gaze bears witness

Yet if adversity should test them, you will find

To his love, reflecting what lies in his heart.

Their professed love was but an empty notion.

وَإِذا ما بَحَثتَهُ قُلتَ هَذا

وَإِذا ما بَحَثتَهُ قُلتَ هَذا

ثِقَةٌ لي وَرَأسُ مالٍ كَبيرِ

ثِقَةٌ لي وَرَأسُ مالٍ كَبيرِ

And when you examine him, you say, 'This man

You’d think them trusts and treasures beyond measure,

Is one I can trust, and a great asset.'

But if you asked from them a measly quarter,

فَإِذا ما سَأَلتَهُ رُبعَ فَلسٍ

فَإِذا ما سَأَلتَهُ رُبعَ فَلسٍ

أَلحَقَ الوُدَّ بِالّلطيفِ الخَبيرِ

أَلحَقَ الوُدَّ بِالّلطيفِ الخَبيرِ

But when you ask him for a quarter of a fals,

They’d take their friendship back faster than light

He consigns affection to the Subtle, the All-Aware.

And blame it all on fate, that wily thwarter.