وَرُبَّ أَخٍ حَميمٍ بِتُّ لَيلي

وَرُبَّ أَخٍ حَميمٍ بِتُّ لَيلي

أُجَرَّعُ مِن مَلامَتِهِ الحَميما

أُجَرَّعُ مِن مَلامَتِهِ الحَميما

And how often, with a close friend, I spent my night

Many a dear friend passes my nights in blame,

forced to swallow the boiling water of his reproach.

Making me drink deep of his bitter cup.

يَقولُ عَلامَ مِن غَيرِ اِجتِرامٍ

يَقولُ عَلامَ مِن غَيرِ اِجتِرامٍ

هَجَوتَ موفقَ الدينِ الحَكيما

هَجَوتَ موفقَ الدينِ الحَكيما

He says, “Why, though he had done no wrong,

He says "Why with no just cause did you defame

did you lampoon Muwaffaq al-Din, the physician?”

The wise Mowaffaq? Such fault is corrupt."

فَقُلتُ لَهُ تَأَنَّ فَغَيرُ عَدلٍ

فَقُلتُ لَهُ تَأَنَّ فَغَيرُ عَدلٍ

إِذا ما لامَ مَن سَلِمَ السَليما

إِذا ما لامَ مَن سَلِمَ السَليما

So I said to him, “Be patient; it is unjust

I said "Gently! He who blames the innocent

when one unharmed reproaches the snake-bitten.

Himself loses his right to justice and fair trial."

شَكَوتُ إِلَيهِ مِن كانونَ قُرّاً

شَكَوتُ إِلَيهِ مِن كانونَ قُرّاً

أَبيتُ لِضُرِّهِ أَرعى النُجوما

أَبيتُ لِضُرِّهِ أَرعى النُجوما

I complained to him of Kanun's bitter cold;

I complained to him of the cruel, cold winter,

I spend the night, tormented by it, watching the stars.

And that I could not rest for its bitter squalls.

فَما أَلوى عَلَيَّ وَقالَ خَلطٌ

فَما أَلوى عَلَيَّ وَقالَ خَلطٌ

يَزولُ إِذا تَجَنَّبتَ اللُحوما

يَزولُ إِذا تَجَنَّبتَ اللُحوما

So he paid me no heed and said, ‘A bodily humor

But he was not kind, and said "'Tis but a spell

will subside if you avoid meat.’

That will pass when you give up meat for your meals."

فَقَضَّيتُ الشِتاءَ كَما تَقَضّى

فَقَضَّيتُ الشِتاءَ كَما تَقَضّى

شِتا البُرغوثِ في ذَقنِ اِبنِ سيما

شِتا البُرغوثِ في ذَقنِ اِبنِ سيما

So I spent the winter as it passed

So I endured the winter as the gnat endures

for a flea on Ibn Sima's chin.”

The winter in the beard of Ibn Sima.