إِذا كَدَّرَ المَرءُ أَلفاظَهُ

إِذا كَدَّرَ المَرءُ أَلفاظَهُ

عَلَيَّ فَلَم أَحظَ مِنها بِصافِ

عَلَيَّ فَلَم أَحظَ مِنها بِصافِ

If a man muddies his words

When a man muddies his words

Against me, and I find none of them clear,

And I glean no purity

بَعَثتُ العِتابَ إِلى سَمعِهِ

بَعَثتُ العِتابَ إِلى سَمعِهِ

نَذيراً وَأَهمَلتُ أَمرَ اِنتِصافي

نَذيراً وَأَهمَلتُ أَمرَ اِنتِصافي

I send reproach to his ear

I send a warning to his hearing

As a warning, and set aside seeking redress.

As a harbinger, though I neglect to seek redress

فَإِن هُوَ لَم يَصحُ مِن سُكرِهِ

فَإِن هُوَ لَم يَصحُ مِن سُكرِهِ

صَفَعتُ قَفا عِرضِهِ بِالقَوافي

صَفَعتُ قَفا عِرضِهِ بِالقَوافي

Then if he does not wake from his drunkenness,

If he doesn’t sober from his drunkenness

I slap the nape of his honor with rhymes.

I will slap his pride with verses

يا غَزالاً مُتَرَّفاً

يا غَزالاً مُتَرَّفاً

وَقَضيباً مُهَفهَفاً

وَقَضيباً مُهَفهَفاً

O pampered gazelle,

O playful gazelle

And slender branch,

And swaying twig

وَالَّذي رَوضُ خَدِّهِ

وَالَّذي رَوضُ خَدِّهِ

يُنبِتُ الوَردَ مُضعَفا

يُنبِتُ الوَردَ مُضعَفا

And you whose cheek's garden

By Him whose garden is his cheek

Brings forth roses in double abundance,

Growing double roses

أَنا أَفديكَ ظالِماً

أَنا أَفديكَ ظالِماً

كُنتَ أَم كُنتَ مُنصِفا

كُنتَ أَم كُنتَ مُنصِفا

I would ransom you, whether unjust

I will redeem you wronged

You are, or fair.

Whether you were unjust or fair