رِضَا الْمُتَجَنِّي غَايَةٌ لِيْسِ تُدْرَكُ

رِضَا الْمُتَجَنِّي غَايَةٌ لِيْسِ تُدْرَكُ

وَفِي كُلِّ وَجْهٍ لِلتَّجَرُّمِ مَسْلَكُ

وَفِي كُلِّ وَجْهٍ لِلتَّجَرُّمِ مَسْلَكُ

The false accuser's satisfaction is a goal beyond reach,

Complete contentment is an aim I cannot attain,

And in every matter there is a path to finding fault.

And down every path lies an excuse for misdeeds.

إِذَا صَاحِبٌ يَوْمَاً تَجَنَّى تَرَكْتُهُ

إِذَا صَاحِبٌ يَوْمَاً تَجَنَّى تَرَكْتُهُ

عَلَى طَبْعِهِ فِي الغَدْرِ وَالطَّبْعُ أَمْلَكُ

عَلَى طَبْعِهِ فِي الغَدْرِ وَالطَّبْعُ أَمْلَكُ

If a friend one day finds fault unjustly, I leave him

When a friend one day showed fickleness, I abandoned him -

To his treacherous nature—and nature holds greater sway.

To his nature, so prone as it was to betrayal and treachery.

وَصَلْتُكَ لَمَّا كُنْتَ فِيَّ مُوَحِّدَاً

وَصَلْتُكَ لَمَّا كُنْتَ فِيَّ مُوَحِّدَاً

وَعَزَّيْتُ عَنْكَ القَلْبَ إِذْ أَنْتَ مُشْرِكُ

وَعَزَّيْتُ عَنْكَ القَلْبَ إِذْ أَنْتَ مُشْرِكُ

I kept ties with you while you worshipped me alone,

I drew close to you when you were wholly true to me,

And consoled my heart for losing you when you worshipped others beside me.

And estranged my heart when you turned polytheist.

فَإِنْ عُدْتَ بِالإِخْلاَصِ عَادَ بِهِ أَخٌ

فَإِنْ عُدْتَ بِالإِخْلاَصِ عَادَ بِهِ أَخٌ

وَإِنْ تَأْبَ إِلاَّ تَرْكَهُ فَهْوَ أَتْرَكُ

وَإِنْ تَأْبَ إِلاَّ تَرْكَهُ فَهْوَ أَتْرَكُ

So if you return with sincerity, a brother returns in kind;

If you return in utter sincerity, a brother returns the same,

And if you insist on abandoning him, he is readier still to abandon you.

But if you insist on leaving it, then leave it I shall!