ما محا الذنبَ عن ذوي الاقترافِ

قَطُّ كالاعتذار والاِعترافِ

Wrongdoing is not erased by mere apologies and confessions.

Your sincere apology we accepted when you came

قد قبِلْنا اعتذارَك المحضَ لمّا

جِئْتَ مُسْتَجْدِياً لعَفْوٍ معافِ

Seeking pardon for your trespass.

We forgave a slip that was not intended by you,

وصَفَحْنا عن زَلَّةٍ لم تكنْ مِن

كَ مُراداً ولا أَتَت عن خِلافِ

Nor did it arise from malice.

My knowledge of your pure affection suffices me,

إن عِلمِي بمحض وُدِّك مُغْنٍ

لك عِندي عن اعتِذارك كافِ

Making your apology to me adequate.

Yet the wise one whose sleep is not disturbed

غَيرَ أَن اللبِيبَ من لم يَنَمْ عن

شُبُهاتِ الأُمورِ والاختلاف

By ambiguities and differences of opinion,

His judgment is to take a weighty and clear view.

حُكْمُ من قَدَّم النباهةَ أن يَغْ

دو برأْيٍ جَزْلٍ وفِكرٍ صافِ

Had your wrong sprung from intent, not inadvertence,

We would have sought justice and redress.

لو أتى الذنْبُ منك في غيرِ سهوٍ

لقبِلنا الإنصاف والانتصافِ

We know you as the loyal keeper of secrets,

The guardian of trust, the just mediator.

قد علمنا بأنّك المخلِصُ الحا

فظ لِلغيبِ والولِيُّ المصافي

In my eyes you have a status that poetry’s meters

Could never reckon or enumerate.

لك عندي فقَرَّ عينا من المُكْ

نَة ما لا تُحْصِيه مِنّي القوافي

My backing you each morning springs not

From you, but from my nature and upbringing.

ليس نصرِي لك الغداةَ بِنَاءٍ

عنك منّي ولا حِفاظِي بعافِ

How often, by the just Imam, when they attacked

With sharp blades, did we shelter your feathers.

كم سَقَينا عِداك عِنْدَ الإمام ال

عَدْلِ إذ فَنَّدُوا بِسُمّ ذعافِ

When you were stripped bare of retainers and guards

It was I who, for your sake, showed grace and favor.

وكَسَوْنا رِيشاً جناحَيْك لمّا

عِريا مِن قوادمٍ وخوافِ

I look upon you with the eye of one whose affection

Flows as pure as clear draughts of wine.

وأَنا في الجميلِ عنك لنفسِي

شاكرٌ حامدٌ وجازٍ مُكافِ

I watch over your welfare until I see

Its roots nourished, not withering and dry.

إنّني ناظرٌ إليك بعَيْنَيْ

مَنْ صَفَا وُدُّهُ صفاءَ السُّلافِ

ومُراعٍ لحُسْنِ حالك حتّى

لا أرى غَرْسَها سريعَ الجفافِ