تَعجّبتُ أَن أَعلمتَ يا صاحِبَ الحجى

تَعجّبتُ أَن أَعلمتَ يا صاحِبَ الحجى

بعيبيَ ذا الفضلِ اللبيبَ أخا المجدِ

بعيبيَ ذا الفضلِ اللبيبَ أخا المجدِ

I was amazed that you informed, O man of reason,

I'm amazed you told my flaw, O eloquent friend,

the discerning man of merit, brother of glory, of my fault.

To that virtuous, brilliant one, brother of glory.

فَخِفتُ وَلَم أَسرقْ حاشا لأنَّه

فَخِفتُ وَلَم أَسرقْ حاشا لأنَّه

هو البَطلُ الجنديّ ذو المَنطِقِ الشَّهدِي

هو البَطلُ الجنديّ ذو المَنطِقِ الشَّهدِي

So I was afraid—though I had not stolen, far be it!—for

So I grew afraid though I did not steal, far from it!

he is the hero al-Jundi, whose speech is honey-sweet.

For he is the brave soldier of sweet rhetoric.

وَهَب أَنّني ذاكَ الكتابَ اِختَلستُهُ

وَهَب أَنّني ذاكَ الكتابَ اِختَلستُهُ

فَإِنّكَ سَتّارٌ وَلِلعَيبِ لا تُبدي

فَإِنّكَ سَتّارٌ وَلِلعَيبِ لا تُبدي

And suppose that I had stolen that book,

And suppose I had stolen that book, as you claim,

for you conceal faults and do not expose them.

You are a concealer who does not expose faults.

وَتعلمُ أنّي في الرّعايا حَقيرَهم

وَتعلمُ أنّي في الرّعايا حَقيرَهم

ولا عَجبٌ أَنّي أَخافُ مِنَ الجُندي

ولا عَجبٌ أَنّي أَخافُ مِنَ الجُندي

And you know that I am the lowliest among the subjects,

And you know that among the flock I'm the lowliest,

and it is no wonder that I fear al-Jundi.

No wonder I fear the soldier who is so mighty.