Original Poem in Arabic
وَلَمّا تَخَيَّرتِ الأَخِلّاءَ لَم أَجِد
صَبوراً عَلى حِفظِ المَوَدَّةِ وَالعَهدِ
سَليماً عَلى طَيِّ الزَمانِ وَنَشرِهِ
أَميناً عَلى النَجوى صَحيحاً عَلى البُعدِ
وَلَمّا أَساءَ الظَنَّ بي مَن جَعَلتُهُ
وَإِيّايَ مِثلَ الكَفِّ نيطَت إِلى الزِندِ
حَمَلتُ عَلى ضَنّي بِهِ سوءَ ظَنِّهِ
وَأَيقَنتُ أَنّي بِالوَفا أُمَّةٌ وَحدي
وَأَنّي عَلى الحالَينِ في العَتبِ وَالرِضى
مُقيمٌ عَلى ماكانَ يَعرِفُ مَن وُدّي
Translation
When I searched for loyal companions, I found none
Who could endure the preservation of affection and vows.
None remained steadfast through the passage of time,
Faithful in secrets, reliable even when far away.
When the one I trusted, whom I treated as close as hand to arm,
Began to doubt me, despite my loyalty,
I bore the burden of his mistrust with patience,
And realized that in loyalty, I stand as a nation of one.
In both grievance and contentment, I remain the same,
True to the bonds that those who know my friendship recognize.
