سفهتُ على عمروٍ سفاهةَ جاهلٍ

وأبصرتُ ما في الحلمِ إبصارَ عالمِ

I acted foolishly towards Amr with the folly of an ignorant man

And I saw what was in the dream with the insight of a learned man

فأقسمتُ لا أهجوه ما عاش بعدها

ولو نالني بالمنكراتِ العظائمِ

So I swore I would not satirize him as long as he lived

Even if he attacked me with the greatest of wrongs

وما كرمٌ أن يُمنح المرء مِقْولاً

فيعمدُ في عاثر الرأي نادِم

It is no virtue for a man to be given free rein

Then to attack one who has stumbled in judgement while regretting

غدوتُ إلى عمرو غُدُوَّ محاربٍ

ورحتُ إلى عمروٍ رواحَ مُسالمِ

I went early to Amr going as a warrior

And I approached Amr going as one seeking peace

فلا يتلقَّ السلم مني بجفوةٍ

فأعطفُ حربي عادلاً غير ظالمِ

So let him not receive peace from me with aloofness

Lest I turn my war, though just, to tyranny