وعد الزيارة ثم أخلَفْ

وعد الزيارة ثم أخلَفْ

ما ضرّهُ لو كان يُنصِفْ

ما ضرّهُ لو كان يُنصِفْ

He promised to visit, then broke his promise.

He promised a visit, then broke his word

What harm would it have done him to be fair?

It would not have harmed him, had he been fair

وسَطا عليّ وظنّ أنّ

وسَطا عليّ وظنّ أنّ

الدمعَ من عينيهِ يذْرِفْ

الدمعَ من عينيهِ يذْرِفْ

And he assailed me, thinking that

He was hostile towards me, and thought

the tears were flowing from his own eyes.

Tears would stream from my eyes

واللهِ لولا حرمةٌ

واللهِ لولا حرمةٌ

لطرحتُ أسبابَ التكلّفْ

لطرحتُ أسبابَ التكلّفْ

By God, were it not for respect,

By God, were it not for propriety

I would have cast off the bonds of forced courtesy,

I would have cast off all pretense

وسلَلْتُ من غِمْدِ الهِجا

وسلَلْتُ من غِمْدِ الهِجا

ءِ على وَريدِ المدحِ مُرهَفْ

ءِ على وَريدِ المدحِ مُرهَفْ

and drawn from the scabbard of satire

And drawn from the scabbard of satire

a keen blade against the jugular of praise.

A sharp blade upon the vein of praise