ما اِرتبتُ منكمْ على مرِّ الزّمانِ فلِمْ

ما اِرتبتُ منكمْ على مرِّ الزّمانِ فلِمْ

ملأتُمُ اليومَ أضلاعي من الرِّيَبِ

ملأتُمُ اليومَ أضلاعي من الرِّيَبِ

I never doubted you through the passage of time; so why

Why have you today filled my chest with doubt

have you filled my ribs today with doubts?

When I never arranged from you over the years of time

وقد صَدقتُكُمُ حتّى رأيتُ لكمْ

وقد صَدقتُكُمُ حتّى رأيتُ لكمْ

وما كذبتكُمُ حظّاً من الكَذب

وما كذبتكُمُ حظّاً من الكَذب

And I believed you until I saw that you had

And I was truthful to you until I saw you had

—and I have not lied to you—a share of falsehood.

No lies from me, not even a bit

ما خِيرَ لِي في اِختياري وُدّكمْ وَزَرٌ

ما خِيرَ لِي في اِختياري وُدّكمْ وَزَرٌ

آوِي إليه ولا أنجحتُ في الطّلبِ

آوِي إليه ولا أنجحتُ في الطّلبِ

No refuge was chosen for me in choosing your affection,

What good is it for me to choose your love

to shelter in, nor did I succeed in my quest.

A burden I bear, yet never succeed in seeking

وكنت منكمْ قريباً قبل غدركُمُ

وكنت منكمْ قريباً قبل غدركُمُ

فصرتُ أبْعَدَ من جِدٍّ إلى اللّعِبِ

فصرتُ أبْعَدَ من جِدٍّ إلى اللّعِبِ

And I was close to you before your treachery,

And I was close to you before your betrayal

then became farther away than earnestness is from play.

So I became further than a grandfather from playing

فلا تُدِلّوا بإثراءٍ أُتيحَ لكمْ

فلا تُدِلّوا بإثراءٍ أُتيحَ لكمْ

لا خَيرَ بعدَ اِفتِقارِ العِرْضِ بالنَّشَبِ

لا خَيرَ بعدَ اِفتِقارِ العِرْضِ بالنَّشَبِ

So do not boast of wealth granted to you;

Do not boast of riches made easy for you

there is no good in wealth once honor is impoverished.

No good after loss of honor by greed

ما ضرّكمْ لو وهبتمْ لِي جميلَكُمُ

ما ضرّكمْ لو وهبتمْ لِي جميلَكُمُ

فأيُّ شيءٍ من الإجمال لم أهَبِ

فأيُّ شيءٍ من الإجمال لم أهَبِ

What harm would it have done you to grant me your kindness?

It would not harm you to grant me your kindness

What act of kindness, then, have I not bestowed?

So what favor have I missed to grant

قَد كنتُ أَحسبكمْ والظنُّ مَطْمَعَةٌ

قَد كنتُ أَحسبكمْ والظنُّ مَطْمَعَةٌ

عزّاً لِذي الذُلِّ أو حِرْزاً لذِي العَطَبِ

عزّاً لِذي الذُلِّ أو حِرْزاً لذِي العَطَبِ

I had thought you—and supposition gives rise to hope—

I thought you were, and guessing is tempting,

a source of dignity for the abased, or a refuge for one facing ruin,

Glory for the disgraced or haven for the troubled

حتّى صحبتُكُمُ جهلاً بخيرِكُمُ

حتّى صحبتُكُمُ جهلاً بخيرِكُمُ

ثمَّ اِختبرتُ فَكنتمْ شَرَّ مُصْطَحَبِ

ثمَّ اِختبرتُ فَكنتمْ شَرَّ مُصْطَحَبِ

until I kept your company, knowing nothing of your goodness;

Until I accompanied you in ignorance of your good

then I tested you, and you proved the worst of companions.

Then I tested and found you the worst company

فَليتكمْ ما عرضتُمْ لي مودَّتكم

فَليتكمْ ما عرضتُمْ لي مودَّتكم

وَلَيتَني كنتُ مدعوّاً فلمْ أُجبِ

وَلَيتَني كنتُ مدعوّاً فلمْ أُجبِ

So, if only you had never offered me your affection,

If only you had not offered me your friendship

and if only, when invited, I had not answered!

And if only I had been invited yet never answered

وطالما غِبتُمُ عن نفعِكمْ خَوَراً

وطالما غِبتُمُ عن نفعِكمْ خَوَراً

وكنتُ منهُ قريبَ الدّار لم أغبِ

وكنتُ منهُ قريبَ الدّار لم أغبِ

And often, out of weakness, you were absent from offering help,

And I was often absent from your benefit ashamed

while I dwelt close to it and never stayed away.

Yet lived near you, never absent

إنَّ الّذي اِعوجَّ من بعد اِستقامتِهِ

إنَّ الّذي اِعوجَّ من بعد اِستقامتِهِ

وَاِنسَلَّ من وَطَري فيه ومِنْ أرَبِي

وَاِنسَلَّ من وَطَري فيه ومِنْ أرَبِي

As for the one who grew crooked after being upright

Indeed he who straightened then bent

and slipped free of my desire for him and my need—

And slipped from his path and strayed

نَفضتُ مِن وُدِّه كفّي وقد صَفِرَتْ

نَفضتُ مِن وُدِّه كفّي وقد صَفِرَتْ

وَعُدتُ من دارهِ أَمشي إلى العَقِبِ

وَعُدتُ من دارهِ أَمشي إلى العَقِبِ

I shook my hand free of his affection, and it was empty,

I shook your love from my palm and it had yellowed

and returned from his house, walking backward.

And I returned from your home walking backwards