أَتَانِي أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ أَصْغَى

أَتَانِي أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ أَصْغَى

إِلَى وَاشٍ فَغَيَّرَهُ عَلَيّا

إِلَى وَاشٍ فَغَيَّرَهُ عَلَيّا

Word reached me that ʿAbd Allāh had lent his ear

Word reached me that Abd Allah had listened

to a tale-bearer, who turned him against me.

To a slanderer, who turned him against me.

وَمَا عَهْدِي بِهِ غِرّاً وَلَكِنْ

وَمَا عَهْدِي بِهِ غِرّاً وَلَكِنْ

تَوَلَّتْ أَمْرَ فِطْنَتِهِ الْحُمَيَّا

تَوَلَّتْ أَمْرَ فِطْنَتِهِ الْحُمَيَّا

I had never known him to be gullible—but

And I have never known him to be gullible; yet

the fever of anger had mastered his discernment.

The heat of passion had taken command of his discernment.

فَقُلْتُ لَهُ تَثَبَّتْ تَلْقَ رُشْدَاً

فَقُلْتُ لَهُ تَثَبَّتْ تَلْقَ رُشْدَاً

فَكَمْ مِنْ سُرْعَةٍ وَهَبَتْكَ غَيّا

فَكَمْ مِنْ سُرْعَةٍ وَهَبَتْكَ غَيّا

So I told him, “Verify before acting, and you will attain sound judgment;

So I said to him: Be deliberate, and you will find guidance;

how often has haste bestowed error upon you.

For how often has haste bestowed error upon you!

فَإِنَّكَ لَوْ عَرَفْتَ وِدَادَ قَلْبِي

فَإِنَّكَ لَوْ عَرَفْتَ وِدَادَ قَلْبِي

إِلَيْكَ لَجِئْتَ مُعْتَذِرَاً إِلَيّا

إِلَيْكَ لَجِئْتَ مُعْتَذِرَاً إِلَيّا

For had you known the love my heart bears

For had you known my heart's affection

for you, you would surely have come to me apologizing.”

For you, you would have come to me apologizing.