وَمِنand among نَكَدِtorments الدُنياthis world عَلىfor الحُرِّthe free man أَنto يَرىsee
وَمِن نَكَدِ الدُنيا عَلى الحُرِّ أَن يَرى
أَخِلّاءِclose friends لاnot يَصفوis sincere لَهُtoward him مِنهُfrom him وُدُّaffection
أَخِلّاءِ لا يَصفو لَهُ مِنهُ وُدُّ
And among this world's torments for a free man is to see
It troubles the free that he should see
close friends from whom no sincere affection comes to him,
Treacherous friends who have no true affection
عَلىdespite أَنَّهُthat he يَلقىencounters عَلىin رُغمِdefiance of أَنفِهِhis nose (figuratively, his will)
عَلى أَنَّهُ يَلقى عَلى رُغمِ أَنفِهِ
عَدّواan enemy لَهُof his ماthere is no مِنfrom صَداقَتِهِhis friendship بُدُّescape
عَدّوا لَهُ ما مِن صَداقَتِهِ بُدُّ
though he encounters, against his will,
Though it irks him, he will find as foes
an enemy of his whose friendship he cannot do without.
Enemies he once thought were his protection