صَرَفتُ إِبراهيمَ عَن ذِهني

صَرَفتُ إِبراهيمَ عَن ذِهني

وَلَم أُقَرِّب ذِكرُهُ مِنّي

وَلَم أُقَرِّب ذِكرُهُ مِنّي

I banished Ibrahim from my mind,

I have turned Ibrahim away from my mind,

and did not bring mention of him near me.

And do not bring up his mention near me,

وَلَو تَعَنَّيتُ إِلى عِرضِهِ

وَلَو تَعَنَّيتُ إِلى عِرضِهِ

بِلَفظَةٍ تُبلِغُهُ عَنّي

بِلَفظَةٍ تُبلِغُهُ عَنّي

And had I troubled myself to assail his honor

Even if I were inclined to his dignity

with a word that would reach him from me,

With a word that reaches him from me,

لَكُنتُ قَد وَسَّختُ هَجوي بِهِ

لَكُنتُ قَد وَسَّختُ هَجوي بِهِ

وَما يُساوي وَسَخَ الجُبنِ

وَما يُساوي وَسَخَ الجُبنِ

I would have soiled my satire with him—

I would have soiled my satire with it,

and he is not worth even the dirt on cheese.

And it's not worth soiling cowardice.