وَكُنّا وَديدي أُلفَةٍ وَتَقرُّبٍ

وَكُنّا وَديدي أُلفَةٍ وَتَقرُّبٍ

صَفيَّينِ لَم نَحفِل مَقالاً لِقائلِ

صَفيَّينِ لَم نَحفِل مَقالاً لِقائلِ

And we were two loving friends, bound by affection and closeness,

We were dear friends and intimacy

We were loving friends of intimacy and closeness,

Two devoted companions, heedless of anyone’s words.

Pure souls never heeding gossip spread

Sincere companions, heeding no speaker's word.

فَغَيَّرنا صَرفٌ مِنَ الدَهرِ عاثِرٌ

فَغَيَّرنا صَرفٌ مِنَ الدَهرِ عاثِرٌ

وَساعٍ سَعى ما بَينَنا بِالغَوائِلِ

وَساعٍ سَعى ما بَينَنا بِالغَوائِلِ

Then a disastrous turn of time changed us,

But fate has changed what was and estranged us instead

Then a stumbling turn of fortune changed us,

And a tale-bearer who worked mischief between us.

And sowed between us obstacles and dread

And a slanderer who strove between us with malice.