حاشا لِمِثْلِكَ أنْ يَفُكَّ أسِيرا

حاشا لِمِثْلِكَ أنْ يَفُكَّ أسِيرا

أوْ أنْ يَكُونَ مِنَ الزَّمان مُجيرا

أوْ أنْ يَكُونَ مِنَ الزَّمان مُجيرا

Far be it from one like you to free a captive,

It is far from you to free a captive,

or to offer protection against time.

Or to find refuge with time.

لَبِسَتْ قَوَافي الشِّعرِ فِيكَ مَدارعاً

لَبِسَتْ قَوَافي الشِّعرِ فِيكَ مَدارعاً

سُوداً وَصَكَّتْ أَوْجُهاً وَصُدورا

سُوداً وَصَكَّتْ أَوْجُهاً وَصُدورا

The rhymes of poetry donned, on your account, tunics

You have clothed poetry's metrics in mourning robes,

of black, and struck faces and breasts.

Black, beating their faces and breasts.

هَلَّا عَطَفْتَ بِرَحْمَةٍ لَمَّا دعَتْ

هَلَّا عَطَفْتَ بِرَحْمَةٍ لَمَّا دعَتْ

وَيلاً عَلَيْكَ مَدائِحي وَثُبُورا

وَيلاً عَلَيْكَ مَدائِحي وَثُبُورا

Why did you not turn in mercy when

If only you had shown some compassion when she called -

my praises cried woe and ruin upon you?

Woe to you from my praises and elegies!

لوْ أنَّ لؤمَكَ عَادَ جُوداً عُشْرُهُ

لوْ أنَّ لؤمَكَ عَادَ جُوداً عُشْرُهُ

ما كانَ عِنْدَكَ حاتِمٌ مَذْكورا

ما كانَ عِنْدَكَ حاتِمٌ مَذْكورا

Had a tenth of your meanness turned to generosity,

If but a tenth of your vileness became kindness,

Hatim would not be mentioned beside you.

You would not have Hatem renowned for generosity.