أَيا عاتِباً لا أَحمِلُ الدَهرَ عَتبَهُ

أَيا عاتِباً لا أَحمِلُ الدَهرَ عَتبَهُ

عَلَيَّ وَلا عِندي لِأَنعُمِهِ جَحدُ

عَلَيَّ وَلا عِندي لِأَنعُمِهِ جَحدُ

O reproacher, I do not hold Time to account for the reproach it levels

O reproacher, whose reproach I can never endure

at me, nor do I deny its favors.

against me, and whose favors I do not deny.

سَأَسكُتُ إِجلالاً لِعِلمِكَ أَنَّني

سَأَسكُتُ إِجلالاً لِعِلمِكَ أَنَّني

إِذا لَم تَكُن خَصمي لِيَ الحُجَجُ اللُدُّ

إِذا لَم تَكُن خَصمي لِيَ الحُجَجُ اللُدُّ

I shall thank it on the whole, for this I know:

I shall be silent out of reverence, for you know that I,

if you are not my adversary, the forceful arguments are mine.

if you were not my adversary, would have unyielding arguments.