حاشاكَ تَسمَعُ فِيَّ ما نَقَلَ العِدى

حاشاكَ تَسمَعُ فِيَّ ما نَقَلَ العِدى

وَتَظُنُّ وُدّي فيكَ كانَ تَكَلُّفا

وَتَظُنُّ وُدّي فيكَ كانَ تَكَلُّفا

Far be it from you to heed what enemies have reported about me,

How could you hear the slander spread by the enemy

And think my affection for you was feigned.

And think my affection for you was pretense?

إِنَّ الكَبيرِ أَجَلُّ قَدراً أَن يُرى

إِنَّ الكَبيرِ أَجَلُّ قَدراً أَن يُرى

عَجِلَ التَغَيُّرِ لِلصَديقِ إِذا هَفا

عَجِلَ التَغَيُّرِ لِلصَديقِ إِذا هَفا

Indeed, a great man is too noble to be seen

The greatest in rank shows his greatness best

Quick to change his feelings toward a friend when he errs.

By swiftly changing when a friend offends,

لَكِن يُنَقِّبُ عَن حَقيقَةِ جُرمِهِ

لَكِن يُنَقِّبُ عَن حَقيقَةِ جُرمِهِ

مُتَبَيِّناً فَإِذا تَحَقَّقَهُ عَفا

مُتَبَيِّناً فَإِذا تَحَقَّقَهُ عَفا

But he probes the truth of his friend's offense,

Yet he investigates the truth of the offense,

Seeking clarity; then, once he verifies it, he forgives,

And when the truth is verified, forgives,

عِلماً بِأَنَّ ذَوي المَحَبَّةِ مَعشَرٌ

عِلماً بِأَنَّ ذَوي المَحَبَّةِ مَعشَرٌ

جُبِلَت قُلوبُهُم عَلى حِفظِ الوَفا

جُبِلَت قُلوبُهُم عَلى حِفظِ الوَفا

Knowing that those who love are a fellowship

Knowing that friends are a band

Whose hearts were fashioned to keep faith.

Whose hearts are created to preserve loyalty.

فَالخِلُّ يُصفي وُدَّهُ مُتَكَدِّراً

فَالخِلُّ يُصفي وُدَّهُ مُتَكَدِّراً

وَالضِدِّ أَكدَرُ ما يَكونُ إِذا صَفا

وَالضِدِّ أَكدَرُ ما يَكونُ إِذا صَفا

For a friend keeps his affection pure even when clouded,

So the pure clarify their love though troubled,

While a foe is at his murkiest when he is clear.

While the hostile grow more hostile, though appeased.