قُلْ ليحيى في غير عَتبٍ عليه

قُلْ ليحيى في غير عَتبٍ عليه

ضِقْتَ عن حاجتي وما ضاقَ عُذري

ضِقْتَ عن حاجتي وما ضاقَ عُذري

Say to Yahya, without reproaching him:

Tell Yahya, without reproach,

You had no room for my need, yet my excuse was ample.

You fell short of what I need, though my excuse fell short not,

حَسْبُ من فاتني لديه ال

حَسْبُ من فاتني لديه ال

ذي أمَّلْتُ أنْ فاتَهُ ثنائي وشكري

ذي أمَّلْتُ أنْ فاتَهُ ثنائي وشكري

It is enough for the one from whom I did not receive

Sufficient it is, for one whose company I missed,

what I hoped for that my praise and thanks passed him by.

That my praise and thanks evaded him not.