أَمَّا بَعْدُ،
Now,
فَإِنِّي عَلَى التَّرَدُّدِ فِي جَوَابِكَ،
(in) exchanging replies
وَالاسْتِماعِ إِلَى كِتَابِكَ، لَمُوَهِّنٌ رَأْيِي،
and listening to your letters my view has been weak
وَمُخَطِّىءٌ فِرَاسَتي.
and my perception has been mistaken.
وَإِنَّكَ إِذْ تُحَاوِلُنِي الاْمُورَ وَتُرَاجِعُنِي السُّطُورَ،
When you refer your demands to me and expect me to send you written replies,
كَالْمُسْتَثْقِلِ النَّائِمِ تَكْذِبُهُ أَحَلاَمُهُ،
you are like one who is in deep slumber while his dreams contradict him,
وَالْمُتَحَيِّرِ الْقَائِمِ يَبْهَظُهُ مَقَامُهُ،
or one who stands perplexed and overwhelmed,
لاَ يَدْرِي أَلَهُ مَا يَأَتِي أَمْ عَلَيْهِ،
not knowing whether whatever comes to him is for him or against him.
وَلَسْتَ بِهِ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ بِكَ شَبِيهٌ.
You are not such a man but he is (to some extent) like you (as you are worse than him).
وَأُقْسِمُ بِاللهِ لَوْ لاَ بَعْضُ الاْسْتِبْقَاءِ لَوَصَلَتْ إِلَيْكَ مِنِّي قَوَارِعُ،
I swear by Allah that, had it not been for (my) giving you time, you would have faced from me catastrophe
تَقْرَعُ الْعَظْم،
that would have crushed the bones
وَتَهْلِسُ اللَّحْمَ!
and removed the flesh.
وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ قَدْ ثَبَّطَكَ عَنْ أَنْ تُرَاجِعَ أَحْسَنَ أُمُورِكَ،
Know that Satan has prevented you from turning to good actions
وَتَأْذَنَ لِمَقَالِ نَصِيحَتِكَ،
and listening to the words of counsels.
وَالسَّلاَمُ لاِهْلِهِ
Peace be upon those who deserve it.
