قُل لِلرُقاشِيِّ إِذا جِئتَهُ

قُل لِلرُقاشِيِّ إِذا جِئتَهُ

لَو مُتَّ يا أَحمَقُ لَم أَهجُكا

لَو مُتَّ يا أَحمَقُ لَم أَهجُكا

Say to al-Ruqashi when you come to him:

Tell the slanderer when you see him,

Say to Al-Ruqashi, should you come to him:

If you died, you fool, I would not lampoon you,

If only you were dead, you fool, I would not satirize you,

"If you died, you fool, I would not satirize you,"

لِأَنَّني أُكرِمُ عِرضي وَلا

لِأَنَّني أُكرِمُ عِرضي وَلا

أَقرُنُهُ يَوماً إِلى عِرضِكا

أَقرُنُهُ يَوماً إِلى عِرضِكا

For I cherish my honor, and do not

Because I honor my dignity and never

"For I hold my honor in too high regard"

Ever link it to your honor.

Link it to your dignity one day.

"To ever link it, for a day, to yours."

إِن تَهجُني تَهجُ فَتىً ماجِداً

إِن تَهجُني تَهجُ فَتىً ماجِداً

لا يَرفَعُ الطَرفَ إِلى مِثلِكا

لا يَرفَعُ الطَرفَ إِلى مِثلِكا

If you lampoon me, you lampoon a noble youth

If you satirize me, you satirize a glorious man

"If you mock me, you mock a noble youth"

Who does not lift his gaze toward the likes of you.

Who does not glance towards the likes of you.

"Who deigns not lift his eyes to one like you."

دونَكَ عِرضي فَاِهجُهُ راشِداً

دونَكَ عِرضي فَاِهجُهُ راشِداً

لا تَدنُسُ الأَعراضُ مِن هَجوِكا

لا تَدنُسُ الأَعراضُ مِن هَجوِكا

Take my honor, then lampoon it wisely;

My dignity is beyond you, so satirize it wisely,

"Have at my honor then, revile it as you please,"

Reputations are not sullied by your lampooning.

Dignities are not debased by your satire.

"No reputation is defiled by scorn from you."

وَاللَهِ لَو كُنتُ جَريراً لَما

وَاللَهِ لَو كُنتُ جَريراً لَما

كُنتُ بِأَهجى لَكُ مِن أَصلِكا

كُنتُ بِأَهجى لَكُ مِن أَصلِكا

By God, were I Jarir, I would not

By God, if I were Jarir, I would not

"By God, were I Jarir, I could not be"

Be more scathing toward you than your own ancestry.

Be more satirical towards you than your origins.

"More mocking of you than your ancestry."