أبَاO father of حَسنٍHasan وافىarrived كتابُكَyour letter شَاهِراًbrandishing
أبَا حَسنٍ وافى كتابُكَ شَاهِراً
صَوارِمَsharp swords عَتْبٍreproach كُلُّevery صَفحٍpage لهاof theirs حَدُّan edge
صَوارِمَ عَتْبٍ كُلُّ صَفحٍ لها حَدُّ
O Abu Hasan, your letter arrived brandishing
Dear Abu Hasan, your letter has arrived
sharp swords of reproach, each page with an edge.
With swords of reproach, each page sharp and keen
فقابلتُso I met بالعُتَبىwith contrition مَضِيضَthe sting of عِتَابهِits reproach
فقابلتُ بالعُتَبى مَضِيضَ عِتَابهِ
ولمand did not يَتَجَهَّمْهُscowl at it الحِجاجُargument ولاnor الجَحْدُdenial
ولم يَتَجَهَّمْهُ الحِجاجُ ولا الجَحْدُ
I met the sting of its reproach with contrition,
I met your blame with apology
and neither argument nor denial greeted it with a scowl.
Unruffled by argument or denial
وأعجَبنيand pleased me عيٌّspeechlessness لديهِbefore it ولَمand have not أزَلْceased
وأعجَبني عيٌّ لديهِ ولَم أزَلْ
إذاwhen لمnot تكُنyou are خَصمِيmy opponent لِيَfor me الحججُthe arguments اللدّunyielding
إذا لم تكُن خَصمِي لِيَ الحججُ اللدّ
I welcomed being tongue-tied before it, though I have always,
Yet I was glad to see in you no guile
when you are not my opponent, had unyielding arguments.
When you are not my opponent, what need of proof?
فياso oh حَبّذَاhow welcome ذَنبٌan offense إليَّto me نَسَبتَهُyou attributed it
فيا حَبّذَا ذَنبٌ إليَّ نَسَبتَهُ
وماand no خطأٌinadvertent error منّيfrom me أتَاهcommitted it ولاnor عَمدُdeliberate intent
وما خطأٌ منّي أتَاه ولا عَمدُ
How welcome, then, the offense you attributed to me,
Blessed the fault you ascribe, blessed the deed
though I committed it neither inadvertently nor deliberately.
Whether erring or willful, the bond endures
ولوand even if كانَwere ماwhat بُلِّغْتَهُyou were told it فظنَنْتَهُand so believed it
ولو كانَ ما بُلِّغْتَهُ فظنَنْتَهُ
لكفَّرَهُwould have atoned for it حقُّthe claim of الأخُوَّةِbrotherhood والوُدُّand affection
لكفَّرَهُ حقُّ الأخُوَّةِ والوُدُّ
Even had what you were told and believed been true,
Had I thought your report cause for anger
the claims of brotherhood and affection would have atoned for it.
Our brotherhood and affection would make amends
فأهلاًso welcome بعتْبٍto reproach تَستريحُyou find relief بِبَثّهِby voicing it
فأهلاً بعتْبٍ تَستريحُ بِبَثّهِ
ويُؤْمِنُنيand protects me against أنthat يستَمرَّshould persist بكin you الحِقدُresentment
ويُؤْمِنُني أن يستَمرَّ بك الحِقدُ
So welcome the reproach whose outpouring brings you relief,
So welcome your reproach, airing a grievance
and assures me that resentment will not linger in you.
Reassuring me of an end to rancor
لقَدindeed رَاقَpleased فيin قلبيmy heart وَلَذّand was sweet سماعُهُhearing it
لقَد رَاقَ في قلبي وَلَذّ سماعُهُ
بِسمْعِيto my ears فزِدنِيْso give me more منof حديثِكyour words ياO سَعْدُSa'd
بِسمْعِي فزِدنِيْ من حديثِك يا سَعْدُ
It truly delighted my heart, and hearing it was sweet
It was sweet in my heart, pleasant to hear
to my ears; so give me more of your words, O Sa'd.
More of your words, my friend, I long to hear
Sol 6.1