مَرَرتُ بِهَيثَمَ بنِ عَدِيِّ يَوماً

مَرَرتُ بِهَيثَمَ بنِ عَدِيِّ يَوماً

وَقِدماً كُنتُ أَمنَحُهُ الصَفاءَ

وَقِدماً كُنتُ أَمنَحُهُ الصَفاءَ

I passed by Haytham ibn Adi one day,

I passed by Haytham ibn 'Adiyy one day

I passed by Haytham ibn Adi one day,

and in days past I had shown him sincere friendship.

Though in times past I held him in high esteem

And in the past, I used to grant him pure friendship.

فَأَعرَضَ هَيثَمٌ لَمّا رَآني

فَأَعرَضَ هَيثَمٌ لَمّا رَآني

كَأَنّي قَد هَجَوتُ الأَدعِياءَ

كَأَنّي قَد هَجَوتُ الأَدعِياءَ

Then Haytham turned away when he saw me,

But Haytham turned away when he saw me

But Haytham turned away when he saw me,

as though I had lampooned men of spurious lineage.

As if I had maligned the pretentious

As though I had satirized those of false lineage.

وَقَد آلَيتُ أَن أَهجو دَعِيّاً

وَقَد آلَيتُ أَن أَهجو دَعِيّاً

وَلَو بَلَغَت مُروءَتُهُ السَماءَ

وَلَو بَلَغَت مُروءَتُهُ السَماءَ

And I have sworn to lampoon a man of spurious lineage,

Yet I had vowed to censure the pretentious

And I have sworn that I will satirize a pretender,

even if his noble character reached the sky.

Though his nobility should reach the sky

Even if his virtue reached the sky.