لَعَمري لَقَد أَفشَيتُ يَوماً فَخانَني

لَعَمري لَقَد أَفشَيتُ يَوماً فَخانَني

إِلى بَعضِ مَن لَم أَخشَ سِرّاً مُمَنَّعا

إِلى بَعضِ مَن لَم أَخشَ سِرّاً مُمَنَّعا

By my life, one day I divulged—and he betrayed me—

By my life, one day I confided—and he betrayed me—

to someone I never mistrusted, a closely guarded secret.

a well-guarded secret to one of those I did not fear.

فَمَزَّقَهُ مَزقَ العَما وَهوَ غافِلٌ

فَمَزَّقَهُ مَزقَ العَما وَهوَ غافِلٌ

وَنادى بِما أَخفَيتُ مِنهُ فَأَسمَعا

وَنادى بِما أَخفَيتُ مِنهُ فَأَسمَعا

Then, heedless, he tore its secrecy blindly to shreds,

So he tore it apart as clouds are torn, heedless,

and cried aloud what I had hidden from him, making it heard.

and proclaimed what I had hidden from him, making it heard.

فَقُلتُ وَلَم أَفحَش لَعاً لَكَ عالياً

فَقُلتُ وَلَم أَفحَش لَعاً لَكَ عالياً

وَقَد يَعثرُ الساعي إِذا كانَ مُسرِعاً

وَقَد يَعثرُ الساعي إِذا كانَ مُسرِعاً

So I said, without abuse, “May you rise—rise high!”

So I said, without abuse, aloud: 'May you rise again!'

A runner may indeed stumble when he is hurrying.

And a runner may stumble when he hurries.

فَلَستُ بِجازيكَ المَلامَةَ إِنَني

فَلَستُ بِجازيكَ المَلامَةَ إِنَني

أَرى العَفوَ أَدنى لِلسَّداد وَأَوسَعا

أَرى العَفوَ أَدنى لِلسَّداد وَأَوسَعا

I shall not repay you with reproach, for I

So I will not repay you with reproach; indeed, I

deem pardon nearer to right conduct, and more generous.

see forgiveness as nearer to sound judgment, and more expansive.

وَلَكِن تَعلَّم إِنها عَهدُ بَينِنا

وَلَكِن تَعلَّم إِنها عَهدُ بَينِنا

فَبِن غَيرِ مَذمومٍ وَلَكِن مودَّعا

فَبِن غَيرِ مَذمومٍ وَلَكِن مودَّعا

But know this: it is a covenant between us—

But know: this is a pact between us.

so depart, not condemned, but bidden farewell.

So depart, unblamed, but bidden farewell.

حَديثاً أَضَعناهُ كِلانا فَلَن أُرى

حَديثاً أَضَعناهُ كِلانا فَلَن أُرى

وَأَنتَ نَجيّاً آخِرَ الدَهرِ أَجمَعا

وَأَنتَ نَجيّاً آخِرَ الدَهرِ أَجمَعا

A confidence we both squandered; never again shall I be seen

A confidence we both squandered; never shall I be seen

with you as my confidant, to the very end of time.

with you in private conversation, for all the rest of time.

وَكُنتَ إِذا ضَيَّعتَ سِرَّك لَم تَجِد

وَكُنتَ إِذا ضَيَّعتَ سِرَّك لَم تَجِد

سِواكَ لَهُ إِلّا أَشَتَّ وَأَضيَعا

سِواكَ لَهُ إِلّا أَشَتَّ وَأَضيَعا

And whenever you squander your own secret, you will find

And whenever you squandered your secret, you would find no one

none but yourself more ready to scatter and waste it.

besides yourself who would not scatter and squander it still more.