ربّ ذنبٍ يضيق عن مَسرَحِ العُذ

ربّ ذنبٍ يضيق عن مَسرَحِ العُذ

ر وجانٍ لا صفحَ عن إجرامِهْ

ر وجانٍ لا صفحَ عن إجرامِهْ

Many a sin leaves no room for excuse,

A sin whose guilt exceeds the bounds of pardon,

and many an offender whose crime admits no pardon.

And a companion whose crimes merit no forgiveness;

وحقيقٍ باللّومِ أخرَسَنِي الدَّه

وحقيقٍ باللّومِ أخرَسَنِي الدَّه

رَ زماناً فلم أفُهْ بملامِهْ

رَ زماناً فلم أفُهْ بملامِهْ

And many a man deserving blame—Time silenced me

Long has reproach struck me dumb, so I understand not its blame;

for a while, so I uttered no reproach against him.

And confused suspicions make me wary of all,

وشتيتِ الظُّنونِ يحذر كلَّ ال

وشتيتِ الظُّنونِ يحذر كلَّ ال

حِذْرِ من خلفِهِ ومن قُدّامِهْ

حِذْرِ من خلفِهِ ومن قُدّامِهْ

And many a man with scattered suspicions, taking every

Both behind and before;

precaution against what lies behind him and before him.

I know not his affection in his turning from me,

لم يَبِنْ لِي إقبالُهُ من تولّي

لم يَبِنْ لِي إقبالُهُ من تولّي

هِ ولم أدْرِ بُرْأَه من سَقامِهْ

هِ ولم أدْرِ بُرْأَه من سَقامِهْ

I could not distinguish his approach from his turning away,

Nor his innocence from his sickness;

nor tell his recovery from his sickness.

Whenever he displeases me with an ugly deed,

كلّما ساءني بفعلٍ قبيحٍ

كلّما ساءني بفعلٍ قبيحٍ

جاءني منه سرّني بكلامِهْ

جاءني منه سرّني بكلامِهْ

Whenever he displeased me with an ugly deed

He comes to me, making me happy with his words.

that came to me from him, he pleased me with his words.