ما مُستَزيرُكَ في وُدٍّ رَأى خَلَلاً

في مَوضِعِ الأُنسِ أَهلاً مِنكَ لِلغَضَبِ

How could you turn away a friend who saw a flaw

In a place of intimacy, yet greeted you with anger?

قَد كُنتَ توجِبُ لي حَقّاً وَتَعرِفُ لي

قَدري وَتَحفَظُ مِنّي حُرمَةَ الأَدَبِ

You used to grant me my rights and know

My worth, preserving the courtesy of manners.

ثُمَّ اِنحَرَفتَ إِلى الأُخرى فَأَحشَمَني

ما كانَ مِنكَ بِلا جُرمٍ وَلا سَبَبِ

Then you turned to another, shaming me

Without crime or cause from you.

وَإِنَّ أَدنى الَّذي عِندي مُسامَحَةٌ

في حاجَتي بَعدَ أَن أَعذَرتَ في الطَلَبِ

Yet the least in me is forgiveness

For my need, after you pled your case.

فَاِختَر فَعِندي مِن ثِنتَينِ واحِدَةٌ

عُذرٌ جَميلٌ وَشُكرٌ لَيسَ بِاللَعِبِ

So choose, for I have two options:

A fair excuse, or thanks without jest.

فَإِن تَجُد فَكَما قَد كُنتَ تَفعَلُهُ

وَإِن أَخِب فَبِما قَد خُطَّ في الكُتُبِ

If you find the former, as you used to act,

And if not, then by what was written in the books.