إذا المرء أرَّقني مدحه

إذا المرء أرَّقني مدحه

وأغفل حقيَ أرَّقتُهُ

وأغفل حقيَ أرَّقتُهُ

When a man’s praise keeps me awake,

If praising a man keeps me awake,

yet he neglects what is due to me, I keep him awake

And he neglects my due, I keep him awake

بشتم إذا بات يصلى به

بشتم إذا بات يصلى به

توهَّم أنِّيَ حرَّقتُهُ

توهَّم أنِّيَ حرَّقتُهُ

with abuse; when he spends the night scorched by it,

With abuse—when he spends the night scorched by it,

he imagines that I have burned him.

He imagines that I have burned him.