وَلربّ خِدن كانَ إِن

وَلربّ خِدن كانَ إِن

عُدّ الصَديق يُعَدّ وحده

عُدّ الصَديق يُعَدّ وحده

And many a close friend was, if

For how many a bosom friend, if

friends were counted, the only one counted.

I count him alone as friend,

رفعته حالٌ رُتبَةً

رفعته حالٌ رُتبَةً

مِن بَعدِها فَذممتُ عهده

مِن بَعدِها فَذممتُ عهده

A turn of fortune raised him in rank;

Some mood uplifts him to a rank

and afterward I found fault with his loyalty.

Whereafter I condemn his contract,

وَالدَّهرُ كَم مِن صاحِب

وَالدَّهرُ كَم مِن صاحِب

اِبتَزّنيه ثُمَّ رَدَّه

اِبتَزّنيه ثُمَّ رَدَّه

And Time—how many a friend

And oh how many a comrade, Time,

it has snatched from me, then given back!

Has shown him to me and proved his pain.