قالوا رضيتَ بدون حقِّكَ والغنى

قالوا رضيتَ بدون حقِّكَ والغنى

يسمو بصاحبه إلى العلياء

يسمو بصاحبه إلى العلياء

They said: You have settled for less than your due, though wealth

They said you were content without your rights or wealth

raises its possessor to the heights.

Nobility raises its owner to the heights

فأجبتُهم والقولُ منِّي فَيصلٌ

فأجبتُهم والقولُ منِّي فَيصلٌ

يحكي غِرارَ السِّيف وقتَ مَضاءِ

يحكي غِرارَ السِّيف وقتَ مَضاءِ

So I answered them, my speech a decisive judgment,

So I answered them and my words were a spear

like the sword’s edge as it cuts:

That tells of the deceit of swords in times of trial

حَسْبي التكثُّرُ بالفضائلِ إنَّها

حَسْبي التكثُّرُ بالفضائلِ إنَّها

ذُخري ليومَيْ شَدَّتي وَرَخائي

ذُخري ليومَيْ شَدَّتي وَرَخائي

To abound in virtues is enough for me; they are

It is enough for me to excel in virtues

my treasure for both my day of hardship and my day of ease.

They are my store for days of hardship and ease

فإذا تمادى مَعشَرٌ في مَفْخَرٍ

فإذا تمادى مَعشَرٌ في مَفْخَرٍ

كنتُ الأحقَّ بسودَدٍ وَعلاءِ

كنتُ الأحقَّ بسودَدٍ وَعلاءِ

So whenever a company goes to excess in boasting,

So if a group persists in boasting

I am most deserving of noble rank and eminence.

I am the most deserving of darkness and heights

وغنايَ عن دنيايَ أشرفُ زينةً

وغنايَ عن دنيايَ أشرفُ زينةً

من أن يكونَ بنَيلها اسْتِغْنائي

من أن يكونَ بنَيلها اسْتِغْنائي

And my freedom from needing the world is a nobler adornment

And my contentment with less in my life is a finer adornment

than gaining my self-sufficiency by possessing it.

Than my need for its attainment being my contentment