كريمٌ أتاه أنني قلتُ مُنكراً

كريمٌ أتاه أنني قلتُ مُنكراً

فظن ولم يوقن وما حك بالنفسِ

فظن ولم يوقن وما حك بالنفسِ

A generous man heard that I had said something offensive;

A generous man was told that I spoke ill of him,

So he suspected it but was not certain, and it did not rankle in his soul.

So he suspected though not certain, and judged not by himself.

فعاقبني والحلمُ بيني وبينهُ

فعاقبني والحلمُ بيني وبينهُ

عقاباً بلا ضرب أليمٍ ولا حَبس

عقاباً بلا ضرب أليمٍ ولا حَبس

So he punished me, with forbearance between me and him,

He punished me, though forbearance was between us,

A punishment with neither painful blows nor imprisonment,

With punishment without blows or painful imprisonment,

ولكن بشمِّ المسك والبان ذُوِّفا

ولكن بشمِّ المسك والبان ذُوِّفا

فلا يكن الحساد من ذاك في لَبِس

فلا يكن الحساد من ذاك في لَبِس

But by having me smell musk and ben oil, blended together.

But with musk and ambergris wafted around me,

So let the envious not be confused about that,

So that enviers have no doubts about that.

ولا يأملوا إظلام جانب مثلِهِ

ولا يأملوا إظلام جانب مثلِهِ

عليَّ فلا إظلام في جانب الشمس

عليَّ فلا إظلام في جانب الشمس

Nor let them hope that the side of one like him will darken

Nor should they hope to darken a side like his

Toward me—for there is no darkness on the sun’s side.

Against me - no darkening the sun's side!