إِذَاif أَتَاكَcomes to you خَلِيلٌa dear friend بَعْدَafter مَنْدَمَةٍremorse
إِذَا أَتَاكَ خَلِيلٌ بَعْدَ مَنْدَمَةٍ
مِنْهُfrom him عَلَىfor مَاwhat مَضَىhas passed مِنْof زَلَّةٍa misstep فَهُنِthen be gentle
مِنْهُ عَلَى مَا مَضَى مِنْ زَلَّةٍ فَهُنِ
If a dear friend comes to you after feeling remorse
When a friend comes to you after a fault
For a past misstep of his, be gentle.
Regretting the wrong of the path he did halt
وَإِنْand if صَفَحْتَyou forgive فَلاthen do not تَعْرِضْbring up بِمَعْتَبَةٍwith reproach
وَإِنْ صَفَحْتَ فَلا تَعْرِضْ بِمَعْتَبَةٍ
فَالْعَتْبُfor reproach يُفْسِدُspoils مَاwhat قَدَّمْتَyou have offered مِنْof حَسَنِkindness
فَالْعَتْبُ يُفْسِدُ مَا قَدَّمْتَ مِنْ حَسَنِ
And if you forgive, do not bring up reproach,
Show grace and magnanimity, do not pique
For reproach spoils the kindness you have shown.
Reproach destroys the good that you did seek
Sol 6.1