قَد لَعِبَ الدَهرُ عَلى هامَتي

وَذُقتُ مُرّاً بَعدَ حَلواءِ

Time has played havoc with my resolve

And I have tasted bitter after sweet

إِن كُنتِ حَرباً لَهُمُ فَاِنظُري

شَطري بِعَينٍ غَيرِ حَولاءِ

If you are at war with them, watch

My situation with impartial eyes

يا حُسنَها حينَ تَراءَت لَنا

مَكسورَةَ العَينِ بِإِغفاءِ

Oh her beauty when she appeared to us

With languid eyes and drowsiness

كَأَنَّما أَلبَستَها رَوضَةً

ما بَينَ صَفراءَ وَخَضراءِ

As if you had clothed her in a garden

Between yellow and green

يَلومُني عَمروٌ عَلى إِصبُعٍ

نَمَّت عَلَيَّ السِرَّ خَرساءِ

Amr blames me for a finger

On which the secrets grew silent

لِلناسِ حاجاتٌ وَمِنّي الهَوى

يُذكيهِ شَيءٌ بَعدَ أَشياءِ

People have needs and I have passion

Kindled by things after other things

بَل أَيُّها المَهجورُ مِن رَأيِهِ

أَعتِب أَخاً وَاِخرُج عَنِ الداءِ

But oh you who are spurned by his opinion

Reproach a brother and step away from harm

مَن يَأخُذِ النارَ بِأَطرافِهِ

يَنضَح عَلى النارِ مِنَ بإيتائي

He who takes fire in his palms

Will have the fire splash back from my verses

أَنتَ اِمرُؤٌ في سُخطِنا ناصِبٌ

وَمِن هَوانا نازِحٌ ناءِ

You are a man set against our wrath

And fleeing from our disgrace

كَأَنَّما أَقسَمتَ لا تَبتَغي

بِرّي وَلا تَحفَل بِئيتائي

As if you swore not to seek

My innocence or heed my verses

وَإِن تَعَلَّلتُ إِلى زَلَّةٍ

أَكَلتُ في سَبعَةِ أَمعاءِ

And if I slip into a sin

I have eaten forbidden meat

حَسَدتَني حينَ أَصَبتُ الغِنى

ما كُنتَ إِلّا كَاِبنَ حَوّاءِ

You envied me when I attained wealth

You were nothing but a son of Eve

لاقى أَخاهُ مُسلِماً مُحرِماً

بِطَعنَةٍ في الصُبحِ نَجلاءِ

He met his brother, a pilgrim,

And stabbed him at dawn in treachery

وَأَنتَ تَلحاني وَلا ذَنبَ لي

لَكُم يُرى حَمّالَ أَعبائي

While you accuse me though I am innocent

I appear to you bearing burdens

كَأَنَّما عانيتَ بي عائِفاً

أَزرَقَ مِن أَهلِ حَروراءِ

As if you have suffered harm from me

More blue than the people of Haroura

فَاِرحَل ذَميماً أَو أَقِم عائِذاً

مُلّيتَ مِن غِلٍّ وَأَدواءِ

So depart, blameworthy, or stay, finding refuge,

You are fed up with malice and harm

لا رَقَأَت عَينُ اِمرِىءٍ شامِتٍ

يَبكي أَخاً لَيسَ بِبَكّاءِ

No eye of a gloating enemy shall shed a tear

Crying for a brother who is no crier

لَو كُنتَ سَيفاً لي أُلاقي بِهِ

طِبتُ بِهِ نَفساً لِأَعدائي

If you were a sword I had to face

I would have healed myself of my enemies

أَو كُنتَ نَفسي جُمِعَت في يَدي

أَلفَيتَني سَمحاً بِإِبقاءِ

Or if you were my soul in my hands

I would have found myself forgiving