أعفو ، إذا ركبَ الصديقُ الأصعب

أعفو ، إذا ركبَ الصديقُ الأصعب

وإذا رماني بالسِّهامِ و صوَّبا

وإذا رماني بالسِّهامِ و صوَّبا

I forgive when a friend takes the harsher course,

I forgive, if a friend embarked on the most difficult

and when he shoots arrows at me and takes aim,

And if he shot me with arrows and took aim

وإذا تنكَّر للوفاءِ ، ولم يدعْ

وإذا تنكَّر للوفاءِ ، ولم يدعْ

للودِّ في بحر اللَّجاجةِ مَرْكبا

للودِّ في بحر اللَّجاجةِ مَرْكبا

and when he turns his back on loyalty and leaves no

And if he denied loyalty, and did not leave

boat for affection in the sea of obstinacy.

For affection in the sea of dispute a ship

إنِّي لأعرضُ عن صديقي ، كُلَّم

إنِّي لأعرضُ عن صديقي ، كُلَّم

أرغى وأزْبدَ بالخلافِ وأسْهبا

أرغى وأزْبدَ بالخلافِ وأسْهبا

Indeed, I turn away from my friend whenever

Indeed, I turn away from my friend, whenever

he foams and froths over disagreement and goes on at length.

He raves and foams with disagreement and is excessive

وأُحسُّ بالأسفِ الكبيرِ لأنَّهُ

وأُحسُّ بالأسفِ الكبيرِ لأنَّهُ

أمسى منَ الذئبِ المخادِعِ " أذْأبا "

أمسى منَ الذئبِ المخادِعِ " أذْأبا "

And I feel deep regret because he

And I feel great regret that he

has become more wolf-like than the deceitful wolf.

Became from the deceitful "wolf" a "hyena"

وأراهُ أحوجَ ما يكونُ إلى الذي

وأراهُ أحوجَ ما يكونُ إلى الذي

يحميهِ من أثر السقوطِ إذا كبا

يحميهِ من أثر السقوطِ إذا كبا

And I see him in utmost need of one who

And I see him as needing as much as he can

protects him from the impact of a fall when he stumbles.

One who protects him from the impact of falling if he stumbled

قالوا: رماكَ بما يسوؤكَ صاحبٌ

قالوا: رماكَ بما يسوؤكَ صاحبٌ

واشْتدَّ فيما لا يسُرُّ وأغربا

واشْتدَّ فيما لا يسُرُّ وأغربا

They said, 'A friend has assailed you with what pains you,

They said: A friend hurt you with what is bad for you

and grown harsh in what brings no joy, and gone to extremes;

And was extreme in what does not please and was aloof

وتغيَّرتْ أحوالُهُ ، فغدا على

وتغيَّرتْ أحوالُهُ ، فغدا على

ما لا تُحبُّ تلوُّناً و " تثعْلُبا "

ما لا تُحبُّ تلوُّناً و " تثعْلُبا "

and his ways have changed, so he has turned to

And his conditions changed, so he became upon

what you dislike—changing colors and playing the fox.'

What you do not like, fluctuating and "foxing"

فأجبتُ من قالوا ، بأنِّي لم أزلْ

فأجبتُ من قالوا ، بأنِّي لم أزلْ

أرجو له الغفرانَ فيما أذْنبا

أرجو له الغفرانَ فيما أذْنبا

So I answered those who spoke: 'I have never ceased

So I answered those who spoke, that I have not ceased

to hope he is forgiven for the sins he committed.'

To hope for his forgiveness in what he sinned

قالوا: تطاول ، قلت : كم متطاولٍ

قالوا: تطاول ، قلت : كم متطاولٍ

أمسى رفيقاً للهمومِ مُعذَّبا

أمسى رفيقاً للهمومِ مُعذَّبا

They said, 'He has been insolent.' I said, 'How many an insolent man

They said: He transgressed, I said: How many transgressors

has become a tormented companion of cares!'

Became a companion to worries, tortured

قالوا : تجنَّى ، قلت : ذلكَ شأنُهُ

قالوا : تجنَّى ، قلت : ذلكَ شأنُهُ

إنْ كانَ يرضى بالتَّجني مذهبا

إنْ كانَ يرضى بالتَّجني مذهبا

They said, 'He has made false accusations.' I said, 'That is his affair,

They said: He shunned, I said: That is his way

if he is content to make false accusation his way.'

If he is satisfied with shunning, a doctrine

قالوا : تنكَّر ، قلت ما ذنبي إذ

قالوا : تنكَّر ، قلت ما ذنبي إذ

رضي الصحيحُ بأنْ يكونَ الأجْربا ؟!

رضي الصحيحُ بأنْ يكونَ الأجْربا ؟!

They said, 'He has turned his back.' I said, 'What fault is mine when

They said: He denied, I said what is my sin if

a healthy man is content to become mangy?'

The healthy was content to be the mutilated?!

قالوا: لقد كذبَ الحديثَ ، فقلت : م

قالوا: لقد كذبَ الحديثَ ، فقلت : م

شأني بمن وضع الحديث وكذَّبا ؟!

شأني بمن وضع الحديث وكذَّبا ؟!

They said, 'He has indeed falsified the account.' I said, 'What

They said: He has lied in the hadith, so I said: What

have I to do with one who fabricated the account and lied?'

is it to me, who fabricated the hadith and lied?!

إنِّي أقولُ لمن جفاهُ صديقهُ :

إنِّي أقولُ لمن جفاهُ صديقهُ :

كن أنت في ليل الجفاءِ الكوكبا

كن أنت في ليل الجفاءِ الكوكبا

Indeed, I say to one whose friend has shunned him:

I say to those whose friend was unjust to him:

'Be the star yourself in the night of estrangement.

Be yourself in the night of estrangement a planet

وإذا تقوقعَ في زوايا حقدِهِ

وإذا تقوقعَ في زوايا حقدِهِ

حَسَداً ، فكنْ أنتَ الفضاءَ الأَرْحبا

حَسَداً ، فكنْ أنتَ الفضاءَ الأَرْحبا

And if he retreats into his shell in the corners of his spite,

And if he sulks in the corners of his hatred

out of envy, then be yourself the widest expanse.

Jealously, then you be the most spacious space

وإذا تمادى في التَّطاولِ صاحِبٌ

وإذا تمادى في التَّطاولِ صاحِبٌ

فاعلمْ بأنَّ العقلَ عنهُ تغيَّبا

فاعلمْ بأنَّ العقلَ عنهُ تغيَّبا

And if a friend persists in insolence,

And if a friend persists in transgressing

then know that reason has deserted him.

Know that reason from him has been absent

واهْجُرهُ حتى يستعيد صوابَهُ

واهْجُرهُ حتى يستعيد صوابَهُ

فأنا أرى هَجْر المُكابِرِ أصْوبا

فأنا أرى هَجْر المُكابِرِ أصْوبا

And shun him until he regains his good sense,

And shun him until he regains his sanity

for I see shunning the obstinate as the sounder course.

For I see shunning the obstinate most proper

واثبتْ ثباتَ "شَدَا" و "حُزْنَةَ" كُلَّم

واثبتْ ثباتَ "شَدَا" و "حُزْنَةَ" كُلَّم

لاقيتَ مهزوزَ الفؤادِ مُذبْذَبا

لاقيتَ مهزوزَ الفؤادِ مُذبْذَبا

And stand as firm as Shadā and Ḥuznah whenever

And be steadfast like "Shadda" and "Huzna" whenever

you encounter someone shaken at heart and wavering.'

You meet one with a wavering heart, wavering

إنِّي أقولُ لمن أماتَ ضميرهُ

إنِّي أقولُ لمن أماتَ ضميرهُ

وقضى على معنى الوفاءِ وذوَّبا :

وقضى على معنى الوفاءِ وذوَّبا :

Indeed, I say to one who has killed his conscience

I say to those whose conscience he killed

and destroyed the meaning of loyalty and melted it away:

And finished off the meaning of loyalty and melted:

كم من صديقٍ في الحياةِ جنى الأسى

كم من صديقٍ في الحياةِ جنى الأسى

وجَنَى انتكاسَ القلبِ حينَ تقلَّبا

وجَنَى انتكاسَ القلبِ حينَ تقلَّبا

'How many a friend in life has reaped sorrow,

How many friends in life reaped sorrow

and reaped his heart's downfall when he turned fickle!'

And reaped the setback of the heart when they fluctuated