نَصَحْتَ للَّهِ فلاَ تَتَّهِمْ

نَصَحْتَ للَّهِ فلاَ تَتَّهِمْ

وَجِئْتَ بالحِكْمَةِ يا ذَا الحِكَمْ

وَجِئْتَ بالحِكْمَةِ يا ذَا الحِكَمْ

You counseled for God's sake, so do not suspect me.

You advised in God's name so do not accuse

And you came with wisdom, O man of wise sayings.

And you came with wisdom, O wise one

صَدَّقْتَ أنِّي رَجُلٌ رُبَّمَا

صَدَّقْتَ أنِّي رَجُلٌ رُبَّمَا

مَالَ بيَ الودُّ لبعضِ الحَرَمْ

مَالَ بيَ الودُّ لبعضِ الحَرَمْ

You believed that I am a man whom, at times,

You believed I'm a man who may

Affection has drawn toward some of the womenfolk.

Incline in love towards some of the forbidden

وإنَّني أعتدُّ أُنْسِي بأَدْ

وإنَّني أعتدُّ أُنْسِي بأَدْ

ناهُنَّ عِندِي من أجَلِّ النِّعَمْ

ناهُنَّ عِندِي من أجَلِّ النِّعَمْ

And I count my companionship with the least

Yet I prefer the intimacy of the delicate ones

Of them among my greatest blessings.

More than the greatest pleasures with me

لكنَّنِي لَوْ بَرَّحَ الشَّوقُ بِي

لكنَّنِي لَوْ بَرَّحَ الشَّوقُ بِي

وأفْضَتِ العِشْقةُ بِي للعَدَمْ

وأفْضَتِ العِشْقةُ بِي للعَدَمْ

But even if longing tormented me,

But if longing stirs within me

And passion brought me to annihilation,

And passion leads me to perdition

ثُمَّ تَرَفَّعْتُ لإدْرَاكِ مَنْ

ثُمَّ تَرَفَّعْتُ لإدْرَاكِ مَنْ

تَهُونُ عِندي فيهِ حُمْرُ النِّعَمْ

تَهُونُ عِندي فيهِ حُمْرُ النِّعَمْ

Then I aspired to attain someone

Then I elevate myself to realize she

For whose sake red camels seem cheap to me,

Who is insignificant to me despite her red lips

لا أتَعَاطَى ما يُنَافِي التُّقَى

لا أتَعَاطَى ما يُنَافِي التُّقَى

في خَلْوَتِي لا وحَيَاتِي قَسَمْ

في خَلْوَتِي لا وحَيَاتِي قَسَمْ

I would not engage in anything contrary to piety

I don't indulge in what contradicts piety

In my solitude—no, by my life, I swear.

Neither in private nor by my life do I swear

ما حَصَلَتْ كَفِّي علَى رِيْبَةٍ

ما حَصَلَتْ كَفِّي علَى رِيْبَةٍ

إلاّ ورَاحَتْ من يَمينِي سَلَمْ

إلاّ ورَاحَتْ من يَمينِي سَلَمْ

My palm has never laid hold of anything suspect

My palm did not gain any suspicion

Without its leaving my right hand unharmed.

Except it left me in peace

لاغَرو فالسِّرْحَانُ قد رُبَّمَا

لاغَرو فالسِّرْحَانُ قد رُبَّمَا

عَافَ لأَمْرٍ ما افْتَراسَ الغَنَمْ

عَافَ لأَمْرٍ ما افْتَراسَ الغَنَمْ

No wonder: the wolf may sometimes

It's no wonder that the wolf may sometimes

For some reason, shun devouring sheep.

Refrain from attacking the sheep

زُمَّتْ بِتَقْوى اللَّه نَفْسِي ومَا

زُمَّتْ بِتَقْوى اللَّه نَفْسِي ومَا

غَايةُ نَفْسٍ بالتُّقَى لا تُزَمْ

غَايةُ نَفْسٍ بالتُّقَى لا تُزَمْ

My soul has been bridled by fear of God—and what

My soul is bound to fear God and nothing

Is the end of a soul not bridled by piety?

But piety is the goal of a soul without bounds

ما رَمَضَانُ بِمبْرِي ومَا

ما رَمَضَانُ بِمبْرِي ومَا

كُنتُ لأخْشَى غَيرَ بَارِي النَّسَمْ

كُنتُ لأخْشَى غَيرَ بَارِي النَّسَمْ

Ramadan is not what wears me down, nor

Ramadan did not make me ill and I

Would I fear anyone but the Creator of souls.

Feared none but my Creator of the soft breeze

فَقَوِّ ظَهراً بي فإنِّي امرؤٌ

فَقَوِّ ظَهراً بي فإنِّي امرؤٌ

أجتَنِبُ الإثْمَ وأخشَى اللَّمَمْ

أجتَنِبُ الإثْمَ وأخشَى اللَّمَمْ

So strengthen your back through me, for I am a man

So strengthen my back for I avoid

Who avoids sin and fears minor lapses.

Sin and fear blame

أَإِنْ تأخَّرتُ لأمرٍ ومَا

أَإِنْ تأخَّرتُ لأمرٍ ومَا

زَلَّتْ بِهِ عندَكَ مِنِّي القَدَمْ

زَلَّتْ بِهِ عندَكَ مِنِّي القَدَمْ

If I was delayed by some matter, though

If I'm late for something and yet

In your eyes my foot had not slipped in it,

My steps did not falter in it with you

حَمَّلْتَني ظَنّاً عَلَى خُطَّةٍ

حَمَّلْتَني ظَنّاً عَلَى خُطَّةٍ

شَنْعَاءَ قد تَزْوَرُّ عَنها الشِيَمْ

شَنْعَاءَ قد تَزْوَرُّ عَنها الشِيَمْ

Did you, on suspicion, charge me with a course

You burdened me with the notion of

So vile that noble natures recoil from it?

An ugly scheme that decency averts from

فاسْتغفِر اللَّهَ لأمْرٍ جَرَى

فاسْتغفِر اللَّهَ لأمْرٍ جَرَى

بِهِ عَلَيَّ اليَومَ مِنكَ القَلَمْ

بِهِ عَلَيَّ اليَومَ مِنكَ القَلَمْ

So seek God's forgiveness for what flowed

So seek God's forgiveness for what

From your pen against me today.

Your pen did against me today

ودُمْ دَوَامَ الدَّهْرِ يا خيرَ مَنْ

ودُمْ دَوَامَ الدَّهْرِ يا خيرَ مَنْ

يجهَرُ لا قَولاً ويُهدِي النِّعَمْ

يجهَرُ لا قَولاً ويُهدِي النِّعَمْ

And live on for all time, O best of those

And last forever O best of those who

Who proclaim 'no' in words, yet bestow blessings.

Speak not but guide with favors