يا مَن هَجاني عَامداً

يا مَن هَجاني عَامداً

ومحلّه عندي مكينُ

ومحلّه عندي مكينُ

O you who knowingly lampooned me,

O one who deliberately lampooned me,

though your standing with me remains secure,

though his standing with me is secure,

وأباحَ عرضي بالْهِجاء

وأباحَ عرضي بالْهِجاء

وعرضُهُ عندي مَصُونُ

وعرضُهُ عندي مَصُونُ

and made my honor fair game for satire,

and laid my honor open to satire,

while your honor rests inviolate with me.

while his honor is safe in my keeping.

لَمْ ينهَهُ عَقلٌ لدَيهِ

لَمْ ينهَهُ عَقلٌ لدَيهِ

وكنتُ أعرفُه ودِينُ

وكنتُ أعرفُه ودِينُ

Neither reason he possessed restrained him,

He was restrained by neither the reason he possessed—

nor faith—though I knew him well.

which I had known in him—nor faith.

كُنْ كيفَ شئتَ فلِي

كُنْ كيفَ شئتَ فلِي

فؤادٌ بِالْوَفا أبداً يدينُ

فؤادٌ بِالْوَفا أبداً يدينُ

Be, then, however you wish; for mine is

Be however you wish, for I have

a heart forever devoted to fidelity.

a heart forever devoted to loyalty.

إنْ تحفظِ الودَّ الأكيدَ

إنْ تحفظِ الودَّ الأكيدَ

فإِنَّكَ الثقة الأَمينُ

فإِنَّكَ الثقة الأَمينُ

If you preserve our steadfast affection,

If you preserve steadfast affection,

then you are the trusted, faithful one.

then you are the trusted, faithful one.

أو حُلْتَ عن ودّي وخُنتَ

أو حُلْتَ عن ودّي وخُنتَ

فلا أحولُ ولا أَخونُ

فلا أحولُ ولا أَخونُ

Or if you turn from my affection and betray it,

Or if you turn from my affection and break faith,

I shall neither turn away nor betray.

I shall not turn away, nor break faith.

حاشا لِمثلِكَ إنَّ مثلي

حاشا لِمثلِكَ إنَّ مثلي

عنده أبداً يهونُ

عنده أبداً يهونُ

Far be it from one such as you that one like me

Far be it from one like you that one like me

should ever be held cheap in his eyes.

should ever be held cheap in his eyes.

ولقد علمتَ مودّتي

ولقد علمتَ مودّتي

والشكُّ يُذْهِبُهُ اليقينُ

والشكُّ يُذْهِبُهُ اليقينُ

You have surely known my affection,

And you have indeed known my affection,

and certainty dispels doubt.

and certainty dispels doubt.

فاعطفْ إلى الذِّكر الجميلِ

فاعطفْ إلى الذِّكر الجميلِ

فإِنَّه حلْيٌ يزينُ

فإِنَّه حلْيٌ يزينُ

So return to speaking graciously,

So turn to gracious praise,

for gracious speech is an ornament that beautifies.

for it is an adornment that beautifies.

واحذرْ مَصَاحَبةَ الهِجاءِ

واحذرْ مَصَاحَبةَ الهِجاءِ

فإِنَّه بئْسَ القَرينُ

فإِنَّه بئْسَ القَرينُ

And beware the companionship of invective,

And beware of keeping company with satire,

for it is a wretched companion.

for it is a wretched companion.

كُمْ مُفْلِقٍ بِهجَائِه

كُمْ مُفْلِقٍ بِهجَائِه

تَقْذَى برؤْيتِهِ العيونُ

تَقْذَى برؤْيتِهِ العيونُ

How many a poet, masterful in his satire,

How many a poet, masterful in his satire,

makes eyes smart at the very sight of him.

makes eyes smart at the sight of him!

خُذْها على محضِ الودادِ

خُذْها على محضِ الودادِ

كأنّها الدرُّ الثّمينُ

كأنّها الدرُّ الثّمينُ

Take it in a spirit of pure affection,

Take it in pure affection,

as though it were precious pearls.

as though it were precious pearls.