اُجنِّبُ أهل الأمر والنَّهي زورتي

اُجنِّبُ أهل الأمر والنَّهي زورتي

وأغْشى امرءاً في بيتهِ وهو عاطلُ

وأغْشى امرءاً في بيتهِ وهو عاطلُ

I withhold my visits from those who command and forbid,

I avoid imposing on those of authority and command

And visit a man in his home, though he holds no office.

And I overlook a man in his home when he is unemployed

وأمشي إِلى الخلاَّنِ سعياً ولا أرى

وأمشي إِلى الخلاَّنِ سعياً ولا أرى

تحمَّلُني نحو الملوكِ الصَّواهلُ

تحمَّلُني نحو الملوكِ الصَّواهلُ

I walk to my friends on foot, and am not seen

And I walk to the disreputable eagerly yet I do not see

Borne toward kings by neighing steeds.

The brave carrying me to the kings

واني لسّمْحٌ في السلامِ لأشعثٍ

واني لسّمْحٌ في السلامِ لأشعثٍ

وعند المُطاعِ القَيْلِ بالردِّ باخلُ

وعند المُطاعِ القَيْلِ بالردِّ باخلُ

And I am indeed generous in greeting a disheveled man,

And I am easygoing in greetings to a disheveled man

Yet before the obeyed chieftain, I am stingy in returning greetings.

And when obeyed, scarce in response and peaceful

وما ذاكَ عن كِبْرِ ولكن اُبِيَّةٍ

وما ذاكَ عن كِبْرِ ولكن اُبِيَّةٍ

تُقاومُ كِبْراً عندهُمْ وتُساجِلُ

تُقاومُ كِبْراً عندهُمْ وتُساجِلُ

That is not from arrogance, but from proud self-respect

And this is not from arrogance but from an obstinacy

That resists their arrogance and vies with it.

That resists arrogance in them and contends