سفهتُ على عمروٍ سفاهةَ جاهلٍ

سفهتُ على عمروٍ سفاهةَ جاهلٍ

وأبصرتُ ما في الحلمِ إبصارَ عالمِ

وأبصرتُ ما في الحلمِ إبصارَ عالمِ

I behaved foolishly toward ʿAmr, with an ignorant man's folly.

I acted foolishly towards Amr with the folly of an ignorant man

And discerned what lies in forbearance with a learned man's insight.

And I saw what was in the dream with the insight of a learned man

فأقسمتُ لا أهجوه ما عاش بعدها

فأقسمتُ لا أهجوه ما عاش بعدها

ولو نالني بالمنكراتِ العظائمِ

ولو نالني بالمنكراتِ العظائمِ

So I swore not to lampoon him for the rest of his life,

So I swore I would not satirize him as long as he lived

Even if he assails me with grievous outrages.

Even if he attacked me with the greatest of wrongs

وما كرمٌ أن يُمنح المرء مِقْولاً

وما كرمٌ أن يُمنح المرء مِقْولاً

فيعمدُ في عاثر الرأي نادِم

فيعمدُ في عاثر الرأي نادِم

And there is no nobility in a man being granted a tongue,

It is no virtue for a man to be given free rein

Only to turn it against a repentant man whose judgment has stumbled.

Then to attack one who has stumbled in judgement while regretting

غدوتُ إلى عمرو غُدُوَّ محاربٍ

غدوتُ إلى عمرو غُدُوَّ محاربٍ

ورحتُ إلى عمروٍ رواحَ مُسالمِ

ورحتُ إلى عمروٍ رواحَ مُسالمِ

I went to ʿAmr in the morning as a combatant,

I went early to Amr going as a warrior

And went to ʿAmr in the evening as one seeking peace.

And I approached Amr going as one seeking peace

فلا يتلقَّ السلم مني بجفوةٍ

فلا يتلقَّ السلم مني بجفوةٍ

فأعطفُ حربي عادلاً غير ظالمِ

فأعطفُ حربي عادلاً غير ظالمِ

So let him not meet my peace with coldness,

So let him not receive peace from me with aloofness

Or I shall renew my war, acting justly, not as a wrongdoer.

Lest I turn my war, though just, to tyranny