ومن نَكَدِ الدُنيا على الحُرِّ أَن يَرَى

ومن نَكَدِ الدُنيا على الحُرِّ أَن يَرَى

عَدُوّاً لهُ ما من صَداقتِهِ بُدُّ

عَدُوّاً لهُ ما من صَداقتِهِ بُدُّ

And among the world's afflictions for a noble man is to see

The agony of this life for the noble one is to see

An enemy of his whom he has no choice but to befriend.

An enemy of his, when he was not accustomed to enmity

وانكدُ منهُ صاحبٌ لَستَ عالماً

وانكدُ منهُ صاحبٌ لَستَ عالماً

بهِ هل هُوَ الخِلُّ الوفيُّ أَمِ الضِدُّ

بهِ هل هُوَ الخِلُّ الوفيُّ أَمِ الضِدُّ

And worse than he is a companion—you do not know

And one becomes distressed by a companion whom he did not know -

Whether he is a faithful friend or a foe.

Whether he is a sincere friend or an adversary

وانكدُ من ذَينِ امرؤٌ مُضمِر الأَذَى

وانكدُ من ذَينِ امرؤٌ مُضمِر الأَذَى

على وَجهِهِ بردٌ وفي كِبدِهِ وَقد

على وَجهِهِ بردٌ وفي كِبدِهِ وَقد

And worse than those two is a man secretly intending harm:

And one becomes distressed by a person harboring hidden harm

On his face is coolness, and in his liver a blaze.

His face all smiles, while rage burns inside him