ما بالكم لم تفوا بالعهد وانفصلت

حبال وصلكم من بعدما اتصلت

What ails you? You have not kept the covenant, and severed are

The cords of your fellowship, after they had been joined.

أبا لتهاون ذا أم موج ودكم

ريح التواني توالت عنه وانهملت

Is this through neglect, or was the surge of your affection

Met by the wind of indolence, blowing past it repeatedly and pouring down,

فأخمدته وعاد الامر منعكسا

والوجه صار قفا والنفس ما سألت

Quenching it, so that matters were reversed,

The face became a nape, and the soul asked nothing?

ام بدلت بالرضا سخطا نفوسكم

وبالتحية والتسليم ما اشتغلت

Or have your souls substituted displeasure for contentment,

And not busied themselves with greetings and salutations?

ماذا التواني وذا الاعراض مالكم

ألا اقبلوا واذكروا للنفس ما فعلت

Why this indolence and this turning away? What ails you?

Come now, draw near, and remind the soul of what it has done.

وسامحوا أو بعدل فاحكموا وخذوا

فما جزا النفس شيء غير ما عملت

And forgive—or else judge justly and take your due;

For nothing recompenses the soul except what it has done.

هذا واني على طول الزمان لفي

شوق لرؤيتكم والعين قد هطلت

That said, throughout the years I am indeed full of

Longing to see you, and my eye has rained tears.

اخذاً بقول حكيم ماهر فخذوا

معنى المقالة والالفاظ قد نقلت

I draw on a skillful sage’s saying; grasp, then,

The meaning of the saying; its words have been quoted:

الزم أخاك ولا تترك مودته

وان بك الدار بالاسفار قد رملت

Hold fast to your brother, and do not forsake his affection,

Even if your dwelling has sped away with you on journeys.

فرب يوم يكون الشمل مجتمعا

والاصدقاء بروض الانس قد حفلت

For a day may come when the company is reunited,

And friends have gathered in the meadow of fellowship.

فما جوابك لو يبدي معاتبة

بين الاحبة بالرهان قد كملت

Then what would you answer if he voiced a reproach

Among loved ones, made complete by pledges?