ومِنَ السَّعادةِ للِّئامِ تَرَفُّعي

ومِنَ السَّعادةِ للِّئامِ تَرَفُّعي

عن هَجْوِهِمْ لمناقبي ومَفاخري

عن هَجْوِهِمْ لمناقبي ومَفاخري

And it is good fortune for the base that I hold myself above

My happiness is in ignoring the slander of fools

satirizing them, out of regard for my virtues and glories.

Who attack my virtues and my pride

فلو انْتَدبْتُ له أتَيْتُ بمُعْجزٍ

فلو انْتَدبْتُ له أتَيْتُ بمُعْجزٍ

منه لفَيْضِ عُيوبهمْ وخَواطري

منه لفَيْضِ عُيوبهمْ وخَواطري

For if I undertook it, I would produce an inimitable work

Were I to retaliate, I could smite him down

of satire, thanks to the abundance of their faults and my thoughts.

But I restrain myself, and take the nobler side