توافقَ الناسُ في النسيان واختلفوا

فكلُّ ناسٍ له جنسٌ وأشباهُ

People agreed to forget, yet they differed,

Each people has its own kind and likenesses,

إلا أبا عامرٍ لم يَحْوِ خاطرُه

مذْ كان لفظا ولا معنى فينساه

Except Abul ‘Amer, nothing lingers in his mind,

Since it was an utterance without meaning to be forgotten,

إذا تَصعَّد لفظٌ من ضَمائرِه

ينساه من قبلِ أنْ يُجْرِي به فاه

When an utterance rises from his conscience,

He forgets it before his mouth can voice it,

يَصدُّ كلَّ حديثٍ في مَسامعِه

عن قلبه فكأنّ اللفظَ يَشْناه

He blocks every discourse from his hearing,

As if the words repulse him,

ما مَرَّ قطُّ به خيرٌ فأَضْحَكه

ولا أَلمَّ به شرٌّ فأبكاه

No good has ever passed him, making him laugh,

No harm has ever touched him, making him cry,

لا فرطُ حلمٍ بل سهوٌ يُزِيلُهما

من قبلِ يَبْسِم أو تَنهلُّ عيناه

Neither excessive forbearance, just forgetfulness removes both,

Before a smile or a tear moistens his eyes,

كأنه جاحد مُذْ قَطِّ وهْو على

حقٍّ ولكنْ بسرٍّ لاح معناه

It’s as if he denies since the beginning of time,

While he is on the truth, but its meaning shone secretly,

إذا تَشَّهد أَبْدَى لا إله ولا

يتمُّها ثم ينسى بعدُ إلا هُو

When he says the declaration of faith, he only completes “no God”

And forgets the rest, except “He”