حَمَلْتُ لَهُ وُدًّا مَدَى العُمْرِ كُلِّهِ

وَكانَ لِجُرحِي فِي المَواجِعِ آسِيَا

I bore affection for him all my life

And he was a balm for my wounds in adversity

ولَكِنَّ شَيْئًا ، لَسْتُ أَدْرِيهِ ، صَدَّهُ ،

فَأَعْرَضَ عَنِّي جافِيَ الخُلْقِ قاسِيَا !

But something, I know not what, made him aloof from me

So he turned away, hard of heart and pitiless!

إِذَا كُنْتُ قََدْ أَخْطَأْتُ فَاكْشِفْ إِسَاءَتِي

لِأُطْلُبَ ثَوْبَ العَفْوِ تُلْقِيهِ كَاسِيَا

If I have done wrong, then reveal my misdeed

That I may seek the raiment of pardon, covering me

وإِنْ كُنْتَ تَجْفُوني عَلَى غَيْرِ عِلَّةٍ

فَمَنْ ، يا أَخِي ، خَلَّاكَ لِلْخِلِّ ناسِيَا ؟!

But if you spurn me with no cause

Then who, my brother, made you forgetful of kinship?!