يظنّ رجالٌ بي ظنوناً شنيئةً

يظنّ رجالٌ بي ظنوناً شنيئةً

وكم أخفقتْ ممّن يظنّ ظنونُ

وكم أخفقتْ ممّن يظنّ ظنونُ

Men harbor vile suspicions about me.

Some men have evil thoughts about me

And how often the suspicions of those who suspect have missed their mark!

And how many who thought ill have failed

وَيلقَونَني بالبِشْرِ مِنهُم وَدونه

وَيلقَونَني بالبِشْرِ مِنهُم وَدونه

حُقودٌ وغِلٌّ في الصُّدور دفينُ

حُقودٌ وغِلٌّ في الصُّدور دفينُ

And they meet me with cheerfulness, yet beneath it

They greet me with cheer publicly, yet hide

Grudges and rancor lie buried in their breasts.

Malice and spite within their breasts

فإِنّ غرتُ في تفتيشِ مَن أستعينُهُ

فإِنّ غرتُ في تفتيشِ مَن أستعينُهُ

فَما هو إلّا مَن عليَّ يُعينُ

فَما هو إلّا مَن عليَّ يُعينُ

For if I delve into examining the one whose help I seek,

When deluded seeking aid from one I trust

He is nothing but one who lends aid against me.

That one conspires against me like the rest

وإنّ اِمرأً يُمسِي ويُصبح آمناً

وإنّ اِمرأً يُمسِي ويُصبح آمناً

من النّاسِ مَعْ تجريبهمْ لَغَبِينُ

من النّاسِ مَعْ تجريبهمْ لَغَبِينُ

And a man who passes his evenings and mornings feeling safe

A man who wakes and sleeps feeling secure

From people, despite having tested them, is surely a dupe.

Among people, despite testing, is a fool