إِقبَل مَعاذيرَ مَن يَأتيكَ مُعتَذِراً

إِقبَل مَعاذيرَ مَن يَأتيكَ مُعتَذِراً

إِن بَرَّ عِندَكَ فيما قالَ أَو فَجَرا

إِن بَرَّ عِندَكَ فيما قالَ أَو فَجَرا

Accept the excuses of whoever comes to you apologizing,

Accept the excuses of those who come to you apologizing

Accept the excuses of the one who comes to you apologizing,

Whether he is truthful in what he says to you or lies.

If they are virtuous in what they say or do rashly

Whether he was truthful in what he said, or spoke falsely,

فَقَد أَطاعَكَ مَن أَرضاكَ ظاهِرُهُ

فَقَد أَطاعَكَ مَن أَرضاكَ ظاهِرُهُ

وَقَد أَجَلَّكَ مَن يَعصيكَ مُستَتِرا

وَقَد أَجَلَّكَ مَن يَعصيكَ مُستَتِرا

For one whose outward conduct pleases you has indeed obeyed you,

For he who outwardly pleases you has obeyed you

For he who pleases you outwardly has indeed obeyed you,

And one who disobeys you in secret has indeed shown you respect.

And he who disobeys you secretly has highly honored you

And he who disobeys you while hidden has shown you reverence.