أيُّها المُقتَدَى بأفعاله الغُر

أيُّها المُقتَدَى بأفعاله الغُر

رِ على أنَّهنَّ قد نِلنَ مِنِّي

رِ على أنَّهنَّ قد نِلنَ مِنِّي

O you whose radiant deeds are emulated,

O you who is followed for his virtuous deeds

though they have taken their toll on me.

Have mercy, though they say that I gained from you

صَدَّغني لِصدِّكَ الناسُ جمعاً

صَدَّغني لِصدِّكَ الناسُ جمعاً

فأبِحهُم وَصلي إِذا لم تَصِلني

فأبِحهُم وَصلي إِذا لم تَصِلني

All the people struck me on the temple because you shunned me;

They blamed me for your aloofness, all people

so let them keep ties with me, if you will not.

So forgive them, and if you don’t join me in prayer

أعطِني رُقعةً بخطِّك أن لَي

أعطِني رُقعةً بخطِّك أن لَي

سَ لسوءٍ كانَ انحرافُك عنِّي

سَ لسوءٍ كانَ انحرافُك عنِّي

Give me a note in your handwriting, saying it was

Give me a note in your handwriting that

not for any wrongdoing that you turned away from me.

Your estrangement from me was not due to any wrong I did

أو فَقل لي فيمَ اجتِنابي وأخلا

أو فَقل لي فيمَ اجتِنابي وأخلا

قُكَ تَدنُو إلى سِوايَ وتُدني

قُكَ تَدنُو إلى سِوايَ وتُدني

Or tell me why you avoid me, while your character

Or tell me why you avoid me and refrain

draws near to others and draws them close.

From coming near to me and drawing me close

ألِذَنبٍ جَنيتُ ما بَسَطَ ال

ألِذَنبٍ جَنيتُ ما بَسَطَ ال

لهُ يداً لي ولا لساناً فأجنِي

لهُ يداً لي ولا لساناً فأجنِي

Is it for a sin I committed? God has not given

For no sin I committed, for God

me a hand or tongue with which to do wrong.

Did not extend a hand to me, nor a tongue for me to bite

قد أتَى عنكَ ما تَكادُ مَعانِي

قد أتَى عنكَ ما تَكادُ مَعانِي

هِ بِه قبلَ أن تُغَنَّى تُغنِّي

هِ بِه قبلَ أن تُغَنَّى تُغنِّي

Something has come from you whose meanings almost

There has come from you what meanings almost

sing of it before they themselves are sung.

Sing before you are done singing

لَقطاتٌ كالغانِياتِ ولكِن

لَقطاتٌ كالغانِياتِ ولكِن

يتبدَّلنَ في ثِيابٍ وحُسنِ

يتبدَّلنَ في ثِيابٍ وحُسنِ

Gleanings like beautiful women, and yet

Flirts like singers, but they

they change in their attire and beauty.

Change in clothes and beauty

فأنا العاتِبُ الذي وجَبَ ال

فأنا العاتِبُ الذي وجَبَ ال

عَتبُ عليهِ فاعجَب لذلكَ منِّي

عَتبُ عليهِ فاعجَب لذلكَ منِّي

So I am the reproacher who himself deserves

So I am the reproacher who deservedly

reproach—so marvel at me for that,

Reproached, so wonder at that from me

حينَ أهديتَ واحتَويتَ على ال

حينَ أهديتَ واحتَويتَ على ال

آدابِ فَنّاً منها إلى كلِّ فَنِّ

آدابِ فَنّاً منها إلى كلِّ فَنِّ

when you bestowed your gift and encompassed

When you were generous and possessed the

the literary arts, from one of their branches to every branch.

Etiquette, you chose from it every art