أَضرَبتَ صَفحاً إِذ أَتَتكَ صَحيفَتي

فَطَوَيتَ كَشحاً عِندَ رَدَّ رَسائِلي

You turned away when my messages reached you

So you folded your arms when I wrote back to you

أَظَنَنتَ كُلَّ الرَدِّ يَقبُحُ فِعلُهُ

رَدُّ الجَوابِ خِلافُ رَدِّ السائِلِ

You thought any response was unpleasant

But answering is not the same as turning away the questioner