إنّ الكريم إذا رآك ظلمته

إنّ الكريم إذا رآك ظلمته

ذكر الظلامةَ بعد نوم النّوّمِ

ذكر الظلامةَ بعد نوم النّوّمِ

The noble man, when he sees that you have wronged him,

Indeed, when a noble man sees that you have wronged him,

When a noble sees you wrong him

remembers the injustice after all sleepers have fallen asleep.

He remembers the wrong after the sleepers have fallen asleep.

He recalls the wrong though he slept soundly

إيّاك من ظلم الكريم فإنّه

إيّاك من ظلم الكريم فإنّه

مُرٌّ مذاقته كطعم العلقمِ

مُرٌّ مذاقته كطعم العلقمِ

Beware of wronging the noble man, for

Beware of wronging a noble man, for he

Beware wronging the noble for verily

its taste is bitter as colocynth.

Is bitter to taste, like the taste of colocynth.

Bitter is the taste thereof like aloes' savor

وجفا الفراش وبات يطلب ثأره

وجفا الفراش وبات يطلب ثأره

أسفاً وإنْ أغضى ولم يتكلّمِ

أسفاً وإنْ أغضى ولم يتكلّمِ

He shuns his bed and spends the night seeking redress,

And he shuns his bed and spends the night seeking his revenge,

His bedmate was discourteous and he lay seeking vengeance

aggrieved—even if he turns a blind eye and says nothing.

In anguish, even if he lowers his gaze and does not speak.

Though he seemed blind, and spoke no word thereof