فَلتَةً كانَ مِنكَ عَن غَيرِ قَصدِ

فَلتَةً كانَ مِنكَ عَن غَيرِ قَصدِ

يا أَبا بَكرَ عَقدُ بَيعَةِ وُدّي

يا أَبا بَكرَ عَقدُ بَيعَةِ وُدّي

It was a slip on your part, without intent—

It was by chance, without intent

O Abu Bakr—the covenant of allegiance to my affection.

O Abubakr, to bind a pact of love

فَلِهَذا إِذا تَقادَمَ عَهدٌ

فَلِهَذا إِذا تَقادَمَ عَهدٌ

بَينَنا حُلتَ عَن وَفائي وَعَهدي

بَينَنا حُلتَ عَن وَفائي وَعَهدي

That is why, when a covenant grows old

So when after some time

between us, you turn from my fidelity and my pledge.

Our bond faded, you failed my loyalty and oath

يا سَمِيَّ الصِديقِ ما كُنتَ في صَد

يا سَمِيَّ الصِديقِ ما كُنتَ في صَد

دَكَ إِلّا مُصَدِّقاً قَولَ ضِدّي

دَكَ إِلّا مُصَدِّقاً قَولَ ضِدّي

O namesake of al-Siddiq, in turning away from me

O truthful friend, you were never opposed

you did nothing but believe my adversary's words.

To confirming my rival’s claim

أَنتَ أَلزَمتَني بِأَخلاقِكَ الغُر

أَنتَ أَلزَمتَني بِأَخلاقِكَ الغُر

رِ وِداداً في حالِ قُربي وَبُعدي

رِ وِداداً في حالِ قُربي وَبُعدي

Through your radiant character, you bound me

You obliged me, with your noble traits

to affection, whether I was near or far.

With affection, when close or away

ثُمَّ قاسَمتَني فَعِندَكَ قَلبي

ثُمَّ قاسَمتَني فَعِندَكَ قَلبي

حينَ فارَقتَني وَذِكرُكَ عِندي

حينَ فارَقتَني وَذِكرُكَ عِندي

Then you divided things between us: my heart is with you

Then you took half my heart with you

since you left me, while your memory is with me.

And thoughts of you remain with me

كُلَّ يَومٍ أَقولُ قَد قالَ مَولا

كُلَّ يَومٍ أَقولُ قَد قالَ مَولا

يَ وَما قُلتُ ساعَةً قالَ عَبدي

يَ وَما قُلتُ ساعَةً قالَ عَبدي

Each day I say, 'My master has spoken,'

Each day I say, my Lord has spoken

and never once have I said, 'My servant has spoken.'

And never have I spoken, said my servant

يا نَديمي إِذا تَفَرَّدَ بي الفِك

يا نَديمي إِذا تَفَرَّدَ بي الفِك

رُ وَيا مُؤنِسي إِذا كُنتُ وَحدي

رُ وَيا مُؤنِسي إِذا كُنتُ وَحدي

O my boon companion when thought takes sole possession of me,

O my companion, when alone with my thoughts

and my comforter when I am alone!

And o confidant, when I am on my own

أَنتَ تَدري ما كانَ بَعدَكَ حالي

أَنتَ تَدري ما كانَ بَعدَكَ حالي

فَتُرى كَيفَ كانَ حالُكَ بَعدي

فَتُرى كَيفَ كانَ حالُكَ بَعدي

You know how I fared after your departure;

You know my state after you

so I wonder: how did you fare in my absence?

So tell me, what was your state after me

هَل تُقاسي الحَنينَ مِثلي وَهَل تَح

هَل تُقاسي الحَنينَ مِثلي وَهَل تَح

مِلُ شَوقي وَهَل تَكابِدُ وَجدي

مِلُ شَوقي وَهَل تَكابِدُ وَجدي

Do you suffer yearning as I do, and do you bear

Do you suffer longing like me?

my longing, and do you endure my anguish?

Do you carry my passion, endure my love-pain?

فَتُرى لِم قَطَعتَ كُتبي وَقَطَّع

فَتُرى لِم قَطَعتَ كُتبي وَقَطَّع

تَ حِبالَ الوَفا بِإِخلافِ وَعدي

تَ حِبالَ الوَفا بِإِخلافِ وَعدي

Why, I wonder, did you cut off my correspondence and sever

Why did you sever my letters? Why did you break

the bonds of fidelity by breaking the promise made to me?

the cords of loyalty, despite your word?

لا كِتابٌ بِهِ اِبتَدَأتَ وَلا رَد

لا كِتابٌ بِهِ اِبتَدَأتَ وَلا رَد

دُ جَوابٍ وَلَو بِحَبَّةِ وَردِ

دُ جَوابٍ وَلَو بِحَبَّةِ وَردِ

You initiated no letter, nor sent any

No letter did you start, no reply

answer in reply, even with a single rose.

Not even a rose petal in return

وَيكَ أَنّى لَكَ الجُزارَةُ وَالحُم

وَيكَ أَنّى لَكَ الجُزارَةُ وَالحُم

قُ أَجِبني وَأَنتَ في ذاكَ جُندي

قُ أَجِبني وَأَنتَ في ذاكَ جُندي

Woe to you! Whence came your butchery and folly?

How could you be so cruel, so foolish?

Answer me: in that, you are my soldier.

Answer me, though you are now a soldier

أَنا أَولى بِها لِعِدَّةِ أَقسا

أَنا أَولى بِها لِعِدَّةِ أَقسا

مٍ جِسامٍ لَكِن أُسِرُّ وَتُبدي

مٍ جِسامٍ لَكِن أُسِرُّ وَتُبدي

I am more entitled to it, on several grounds—

I am more deserving, for lineage

weighty ones—but I conceal, while you reveal.

And character, though I feign composure

ما سَرايا أَبي وَما اِبنُ أَبي القا

ما سَرايا أَبي وَما اِبنُ أَبي القا

سِمِ عَمّي وَما مَحاسِنُ جَدّي

سِمِ عَمّي وَما مَحاسِنُ جَدّي

What of Saraya, my father, and what of Ibn Abi

Not my father’s cavalry, not my uncle’s son

al-Qasim, my uncle, and what of Mahasin, my grandfather?

Nor my grandfather’s virtues, they say

كَما قيلَ يَقولُ تَدبيرُ قَيسِ ال

كَما قيلَ يَقولُ تَدبيرُ قَيسِ ال

رَأيِ دوني وَبَأسُ عُمرِو بنِ مَعدي

رَأيِ دوني وَبَأسُ عُمرِو بنِ مَعدي

As was said, he says: 'The planning of Qays

As was said, the wisdom of Qais

al-Ra'y falls short of mine, as does the might of Amr ibn Ma'di.'

Below me, the might of Amr ibn Ma’di

غَيرَ أَنّي مُذ أَطلَقَت نُوَبُ الأَي

غَيرَ أَنّي مُذ أَطلَقَت نُوَبُ الأَي

يامِ حَدّي ما جُزتُ بِالحُمقِ حَدّي

يامِ حَدّي ما جُزتُ بِالحُمقِ حَدّي

Yet since the vicissitudes of the days unleashed

Except since time let loose its calamities

my edge, I have not overstepped my bounds in folly.

I have not been foolish to my limit

بَل تَعَوَّدتُ أَن أُصَغَّرَ قَدري

بَل تَعَوَّدتُ أَن أُصَغَّرَ قَدري

لِصَديقي وَلا أُصَعَّرَ خَدّي

لِصَديقي وَلا أُصَعَّرَ خَدّي

Rather, I have grown accustomed to lowering my standing

Rather, I grew used to lowering my worth

for my friend, not turning my cheek away in pride.

For my friend, and not furrowing my brow

فَلَئِن كانَ مِنكَ ذَلِكَ بِالقَص

فَلَئِن كانَ مِنكَ ذَلِكَ بِالقَص

دِ وَلَم تَخشَ مِن صَواعِقِ رَعدي

دِ وَلَم تَخشَ مِن صَواعِقِ رَعدي

So if that deed of yours was deliberate,

So if that was your intent, and you did not

and you did not fear the thunderbolts of my thunder,

Fear the thunderbolts of my storm

لا أُجازيكَ بِالإِهانَةِ وَالسَب

لا أُجازيكَ بِالإِهانَةِ وَالسَب

بِ وَلَكِن جَزاكَ يا نَحسُ عِندي

بِ وَلَكِن جَزاكَ يا نَحسُ عِندي

I shall not repay you with humiliation and abuse,

I will not repay you with insult and abuse

but your recompense, O ill-omened one, rests with me.

But your reward, o ill-fate, with me