أَخافُ مَعَ التَردادِ تَقطيبَ حاجِبٍ

أَخافُ مَعَ التَردادِ تَقطيبَ حاجِبٍ

وَأَخشى مِنَ التَأخيرِ تَقطيبَ حاجِبِ

وَأَخشى مِنَ التَأخيرِ تَقطيبَ حاجِبِ

I fear a furrowed brow when I keep returning,

I fear repeated insistence may vex my friend

And I dread a furrowed brow if I delay.

And delay may also his eyebrow bend

فَإِن رُمتُ إِقداماً لَيسَ بِمُمكِنٍ

فَإِن رُمتُ إِقداماً لَيسَ بِمُمكِنٍ

وَإِن رُمتُ تَأخيراً فَلَيسَ بَواجِبِ

وَإِن رُمتُ تَأخيراً فَلَيسَ بَواجِبِ

For if I seek to come forward, it is not possible,

If forward I press, success is not sure

And if I seek to delay, it is not fitting.

If backward I step, my duty's obscure

فَبِاللَهِ إِلّا ما جَزَمتَ بِحالَةٍ

فَبِاللَهِ إِلّا ما جَزَمتَ بِحالَةٍ

تُخَلَّصُ رَبَّ الوُدِّ مِن عَتَبِ عاتِبِ

تُخَلَّصُ رَبَّ الوُدِّ مِن عَتَبِ عاتِبِ

So, by God, please settle upon a course

By God! but one course can I pursue

That frees a devoted friend from a reproacher's blame.

To free my loved lord from censure due