أبا جَعفَرٍ لِمَ تَنْسَى الصَّنيعا

أبا جَعفَرٍ لِمَ تَنْسَى الصَّنيعا

وقد كُنتَ تُحْسِنُ فِيَّ الصَّنيعا

وقد كُنتَ تُحْسِنُ فِيَّ الصَّنيعا

Abu Ja‘far, why do you forget the kindness,

O Abū Ja'far, why do you forget kindness

when you used to treat me with kindness?

Though you used to show me much kindness

أراكَ تَناسَيْتَ عَهْدي القديمَ

أراكَ تَناسَيْتَ عَهْدي القديمَ

فضاعَ وما حقُّهُ أن يَضيعا

فضاعَ وما حقُّهُ أن يَضيعا

I see you have deliberately forgotten our old bond,

I see you have forgotten our old pact

so it is lost, though it ought not to be lost.

So it is lost, though it merits no loss

فلا نازحُ الوُدِّ يُدْني الدُّنُوَّ

فلا نازحُ الوُدِّ يُدْني الدُّنُوَّ

ولا غائِبُ الشَّرِّ يَنوي الرُّجوعا

ولا غائِبُ الشَّرِّ يَنوي الرُّجوعا

For one whose affection is distant does not bring closeness nearer,

No intimate grows distant to refuse return

nor does one whose evil is absent intend to return.

No absent friend intends to stay aloof

فلولا الحَياءُ أَراكَ العِتابُ

فلولا الحَياءُ أَراكَ العِتابُ

بديعاً من الَّنظمِ يَتلو بَديعا

بديعاً من الَّنظمِ يَتلو بَديعا

Were it not for modesty, reproach would show you

But for propriety, I'd chide and reproach

one marvel of verse following another.

A fine rebuke, in verse excellently wrought

مَلُومٌ ويخضَعُ بعدَ المَلامِ

مَلُومٌ ويخضَعُ بعدَ المَلامِ

فيلذَعُ لَوْماً ويأسو خُضُوعا

فيلذَعُ لَوْماً ويأسو خُضُوعا

Reproached, and bowing after reproach,

You'd be blamed, and after blaming, submit

thus stinging with blame and healing with humility.

Bearing reproof and feeling true remorse