وَكَم صاحِبٍ كَالرُمحِ زاغَت كُعوبُهُ
أَبى بَعدَ طولِ الغَمزِ أَن يَتَقَوَّما
How many a friend bent crooked like a spear
Refused to straighten after protracted bending
تَقَبَّلتُ مِنهُ ظاهِراً مُتَبَلِّجاً
وَأَدمَجَ دوني باطِناً مُتَجَهِّما
I accepted him outwardly bright and cheerful
While he nursed inward gloom against me
فَأَبدى كَرَوضِ الحَزنِ رَقَّت فُروعُهُ
وَأَضمَرَ كَاللَيلِ الخُدارِيِّ مُظلِما
Like a garden of sorrow, his gentleness flourished
Yet he harbored darkness like a moonless night
وَلَو أَنَّني كَشَّفتُهُ عَن ضَميرِهِ
أَقَمتُ عَلى ما بَينَنا اليَومَ مَأتَما
Had I unveiled his heart and its thoughts
I would have mourned what lies between us today
فَلا باسِطاً بِالسوءِ إِن ساءَني يَداً
وَلا فاغِراً بِالذَمِّ إِن رابَني فَما
I do not stretch out a hand to do evil in return
Nor open my mouth to slander if he wrongs me
كَعُضوٍ رَمَت فيهِ اللَيالي بِفادِحٍ
وَمَن حَمَلَ العُضوَ الأَليمَ تَأَلَّما
Like a limb diseased by nights of agony
He who bears the painful limb feels the pain
إِذا أَمَرَ الطِبُّ اللَبيبُ بِقَطعِهِ
أَقولُ عَسى ضَنّاً بِهِ وَلَعَلَّما
When the wise doctor orders amputation
I say, perhaps sparing it, it may heal
صَبَرتُ عَلى إيلامِهِ خَوفَ نَقصِهِ
وَمَن لامَ مَن لا يَرعَوي كانَ أَلوَما
I endured its torment fearing its loss
One who blames the reckless causes greater harm
هِيَ الكَفُّ مَضٌّ تَركُها بَعدَ دائِها
وَإِن قُطِعَت شانَت ذِراعاً وَمِعصَما
Restraint is best when the disease has passed
Though when cut off, it maims the arm and wrist
أَراكَ عَلى قَلبي وَإِن كُنتَ عاصِياً
أَعَزَّ مِنَ القَلبِ المُطيعِ وَأَكرَما
I see you as dearer than my own heart
Though you disobey, more precious and honored
حَمَلتُكَ حَملَ العَينِ لَجَّ بِها القَذى
وَلا تَنجَلي يَوماً وَلا تَبلُغُ العَمى
I carry you like the eye bears the speck
That never clears but never fully blinds
دَعِ المَرءَ مَطوِيّاً عَلى ما ذَمَمتَهُ
وَلا تَنشُرِ الداءَ العُضالَ فَتَندَما
Leave a man folded over his blemishes
And spread not his chronic pain to regret
إِذا العُضوُ لَم يُؤلِمكَ إِلّا قَطَعتَهُ
عَلى مَضَصٍ لَم تُبقِ لَحماً وَلا دَما
If the limb pains you only when cut off
It leaves no flesh or blood over its aching
وَمَن لَم يُوَطِّن لِلصَغيرِ مِنَ الأَذى
تَعَرَّضَ أَن يَلقى أَجَلَّ وَأَعظَما
He who does not accommodate small hurts
Risks facing greater and graver ones
