Imam Shafi’ii Poem

A poem attributed to Imam Shafi’ii:

وَعَينُ الرِضا عَن كُلِّ عَيبٍ كَليلَةٌ
وَلَكِنَّ عَينَ السُخطِ تُبدي المَساوِيا
An admirer will always overlook your mistakes
While a hater is busy looking to expose them

وَلَستُ بِهَيّابٍ لِمَن لا يَهابُني
وَلَستُ أَرى لِلمَرءِ ما لا يَرى لِيا
I harbor no fear for one that fears me not;
I have no regard for who regards me not

فَإِن تَدنُ مِنّي تَدنُ مِنكَ مَوَدَّتي
وَإِن تَنأَ عَنّي تَلقَني عَنكَ نائِيا
If you come closer to me with love, you will gain my affection
If you stay away from me, you will find me several miles away from you

كِلانا غَنيٌّ عَن أَخيهِ حَياتَهُ
وَنَحنُ إِذا مِتنا أَشَدُّ تَغانِيا
None of us is in need of the other to survive
And in death, we’ll be even more apart!