إنْif تكنyou are قدalready سلوتَyou have forgotten عمّاof what عهِدناwe once knew
إنْ تكن قد سلوتَ عمّا عهِدنا
واطرحْتَand you abandoned السؤالَinquiry لماwhen بَعُدْناwe grew distant
واطرحْتَ السؤالَ لما بَعُدْنا
If you have forgotten what we once shared,
and abandoned asking after us when we grew distant,
فأناyet I حافظٌa keeper لِعهدِكof your covenant راعٍmindful
فأنا حافظٌ لِعهدِك راعٍ
لكfor you ماas long as عشتُI live إنwhether حضرناwe are present وغِبناand we are absent
لك ما عشتُ إن حضرنا وغِبنا
yet I keep your covenant, ever mindful
of you as long as I live, whether together or apart.
ماnot تعرّفتَyou inquired about حالَناour condition بِكتابٍby letter
ما تعرّفتَ حالَنا بِكتابٍ
مِثلlike ماwhat يفعلdoes المحبّthe lover المعنىَّtormented
مِثل ما يفعل المحبّ المعنىَّ
You did not ask after us by letter,
as a tormented lover does.
لاno ولاnor رحتَyou went about حينwhen غِبْناwe were absent ثلاثاًthree [nights]
لا ولا رحتَ حين غِبْنا ثلاثاً
تشتكيyou lament وحشةَthe loneliness التفرّقof separation مِنّاfrom us
تشتكي وحشةَ التفرّق مِنّا
No, nor, when we were gone three [nights], did you go about
lamenting the loneliness of separation from us.
خيرُthe best أهلِpeople of الوفاءِfaithfulness ذوone possessed of الحِفْظkeeping faith بالأَفthrough actions (word begins)
خيرُ أهلِ الوفاءِ ذو الحِفْظ بالأَف
عالِ(completes “actions”) لاnot مَنone who يقولsays إِنّاindeed we وإِنّاand indeed we
عالِ لا مَن يقول إِنّا وإِنّا
The best of the faithful is one who keeps faith through
deeds, not one who says, 'We... and we...'
Sol 6.1