لَعَمري لَقَد أَفشَيتُ يَوماً فَخانَني

لَعَمري لَقَد أَفشَيتُ يَوماً فَخانَني

إِلى بَعضِ مَن لَم أَخشَ سِرّاً مُمَنَّعا

إِلى بَعضِ مَن لَم أَخشَ سِرّاً مُمَنَّعا

By my life, I once confided—and he betrayed me—

By my life, one day I confided in someone

a closely guarded secret to someone I had not feared.

Who betrayed me to another I never feared would break my secret.

فَمَزَّقَهُ مَزقَ العَما وَهوَ غافِلٌ

فَمَزَّقَهُ مَزقَ العَما وَهوَ غافِلٌ

وَنادى بِما أَخفَيتُ مِنهُ فَأَسمَعا

وَنادى بِما أَخفَيتُ مِنهُ فَأَسمَعا

He tore it apart as clouds are torn, all unheeding,

He tore it apart as a falcon tears its prey while it's unaware

and proclaimed what I had kept hidden of it, making it heard.

And shouted about what I hid from him for all to hear.

فَقُلتُ وَلَم أَفحَش لَعاً لَكَ عالياً

فَقُلتُ وَلَم أَفحَش لَعاً لَكَ عالياً

وَقَد يَعثرُ الساعي إِذا كانَ مُسرِعاً

وَقَد يَعثرُ الساعي إِذا كانَ مُسرِعاً

So I said aloud, without abuse: “May you regain your footing!”

I said, without cursing you profusely,

For a runner may stumble when he is hurrying.

A messenger may stumble when he hurries.

فَلَستُ بِجازيكَ المَلامَةَ إِنَني

فَلَستُ بِجازيكَ المَلامَةَ إِنَني

أَرى العَفوَ أَدنى لِلسَّداد وَأَوسَعا

أَرى العَفوَ أَدنى لِلسَّداد وَأَوسَعا

I shall not repay you with blame; indeed, I

I will not blame you, for I see forgiveness

find pardon nearer to sound judgment and more generous.

As closer to righteousness and more ample.

وَلَكِن تَعلَّم إِنها عَهدُ بَينِنا

وَلَكِن تَعلَّم إِنها عَهدُ بَينِنا

فَبِن غَيرِ مَذمومٍ وَلَكِن مودَّعا

فَبِن غَيرِ مَذمومٍ وَلَكِن مودَّعا

But know: this is our pledge of parting;

But learn that it was a covenant between us

so depart, not reproached, but bidden farewell.

So part not blamed but bid farewell.

حَديثاً أَضَعناهُ كِلانا فَلَن أُرى

حَديثاً أَضَعناهُ كِلانا فَلَن أُرى

وَأَنتَ نَجيّاً آخِرَ الدَهرِ أَجمَعا

وَأَنتَ نَجيّاً آخِرَ الدَهرِ أَجمَعا

A confidence we both squandered; never shall I be seen

A discourse we both let slip - I will never see

with you in private counsel, for all time to come.

You saved, until the end of time entire.

وَكُنتَ إِذا ضَيَّعتَ سِرَّك لَم تَجِد

وَكُنتَ إِذا ضَيَّعتَ سِرَّك لَم تَجِد

سِواكَ لَهُ إِلّا أَشَتَّ وَأَضيَعا

سِواكَ لَهُ إِلّا أَشَتَّ وَأَضيَعا

And whenever you neglected your secret, you could find no one

When you betrayed your secret, you found none but yourself

besides yourself who was not still more apt to scatter and squander it.

To blame for scattering and destroying it.