كنت أستعمل الجميل زمانا

كنت أستعمل الجميل زمانا

مع قوم هم عليه الدليل

مع قوم هم عليه الدليل

I used to practice kindness for a time

I used to use kindness long ago

toward people who themselves pointed the way to it.

Among people for whom it was proof

وأرى أن ما فعلت يسير

وأرى أن ما فعلت يسير

عندما يستحقه المعقول

عندما يستحقه المعقول

And I thought what I had done was little

And I see what I did was easy

beside what sound judgment called for.

When what is reasonable deserved it

استوى الناس في القبيح فمن أح

استوى الناس في القبيح فمن أح

ن فهو المعضّه المعذول

ن فهو المعضّه المعذول

People became alike in wrongdoing; whoever [does good]—

People became alike in vileness, so whoever

is the one slandered and reproached.

Is best, he is the pained, tormented fool

ولقد قلت للتي عذلتني

ولقد قلت للتي عذلتني

في انقباضي واللوم همّ طويل

في انقباضي واللوم همّ طويل

And indeed I said to her who reproached me

And I said to her who blamed me

for my withdrawal—and reproach is a lingering sorrow—

In my reserve and drawn-out blame

لا تطيلي عليّ في اللوم كفي

لا تطيلي عليّ في اللوم كفي

كم عدو أفادنيه الجميل

كم عدو أفادنيه الجميل

Do not prolong your reproaches against me; desist.

"Do not blame me so long, enough!

How many an enemy kindness has brought me!

How many an enemy has benefitted from kindness!"